The Adventurers

Chapter 29

Parkhurst was ecstatic. The helicopter was a custom, four passenger ship with pontoons for river landing capability and he found that after a few wobbly turns and dips over las Almenas, and the shaking fists of Trask and Forrester below, he managed to control a chosen course north, following the Gingi River.

"Set down at the mission where we stopped earlier." Sax yelled over the noise of the doorless cockpit.

"We don't have full tanks, I don't imagine we can fly more than an hour."

"Then we need another mode of transport." Sax leaned over to Sam. "Are you willing to give up a few of those gems you have to buy us passage on a boat?"

"What's a few?"

"I don't know, how many have you got? Probably three or four if they are like the one you showed Trask."

"You mean the one he stole from me."

Sax shrugged. "They have to be worth thousands, Sam; your pockets are full."

"I know, and they're killing me." He looked behind him and spotted a small sports bag on the passenger seat. "That's perfect. Empty it out and I'll put the stones in it."

Sax opened the bag and found some papers, a map and three guns; two forty-fives and a thirty-eight.

"Okay there's the mission, set 'er down in the middle of the river and we can putt over to the bank."

Sam brought the ship into hover mode and lowered them slowly to the middle of the Gingi River in front of the mission. The noise and the water spray sent the natives scattering for cover and the priests struggling to hold their robes from flapping all over. The helicopter crept slowly toward the shore and when the pontoons bottomed out, Sam cut the rotors and silence returned to the jungle.

They spent a few minutes while Sam emptied his pockets into the sports bag and then climbed down and waded to shore where a row of angry looking missionaries stood like a barricade.

"That's one hell of a fortune you have in there, pal."

"Yes. It is." The tone and the look stated Sam's position; it was his... exclusively.

"What gives you the right to intrude on our mission, frighten our flock and disturb the natural order of things." Montcleefe stepped forward from the line of priests, demanding an answer.

"Pretty much the same right you exercised when you sent Pazzo to interrupt our mission... and kill three good men." Sax marched up and stood eye to eye with the Father. "I want to speak to Giovanni."

Montcleefe went a rigid red, sputtering. "You can't address His Grace like some- some peasant!"

"Call him what you want, just tell him I want to see him."

"Under no circumstances"

"I will entertain his visit, Father." Cardinal Giovanni swept forward from behind the human barricade and held out an inverted hand, once again enduring the insult of disrespect.

* * *

Sax nodded toward the Cardinal's boat and the three men walked closely together, leaving the group behind. "My friend is willing to part with some very valuable samples of the treasure we discovered in exchange for immediate passage to Sorocaba. You came in through Sao Paulo, right?"

"You did find it then!" Greed lit up the Cardinal's eyes like Christmas.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes, yes. Sao Paulo. You found the treasure?"

"That's our business. What do you say?"

He knew it was futile to keep asking and he sighed, fingering the cross hanging on his chest. "Why Sorocaba?"

"Again, our business."

The Cardinal gave Sax a patronizing look. "I have seen nothing yet to make me even remotely consider your offer."

"Sam?" Sax gave the pilot a hopeful look.

From the sports bag Sam took out two gems, one green and one amber, and handed them to the Cardinal. The eyes grew round and a grey tongue slithered over the pale lips as he fondled the, egg-sized stones.

"You mean the entire treasure was like these?"

"All of it. It would take a number of bearers to carry the whole thing out unless you had something like that." Sax pointed back to the helicopter.

"For these you want immediate passage to Sorocaba on my boat"

"That's the deal."

"You have more of these?"

Sam zipped up the bag and stepped back. "That's it. Take it or hand them back... now. "

The Cardinal saw his hand rest on the butt of the gun in his belt and he lifted a calming hand.

"No need for violence, my son." He paused and rubbed a bony chin. "I keep the helicopter too and the deal is yours."

"Sold, we can't take it on your boat." Sax nodded "Let's go "

"What, right away?"

'I said immediate."

"I will need an hour or so to finish my business with Father Montcleefe."

"Thirty minutes and we'll wait on board." The statement brooked no objection.

* * *

Le Clerque watched from the verandah as Sax, the pilot and the Cardinal strolled across the compound and past the house to where the Cardinal's boat was tied up. He wondered what the mercenary wanted from the Cardinal and was it something he needed to find out. He waited for Montcleefe to make his way back up the stairs to the verandah.

"How long has he been here?" Le Clerque asked, watching the discussion.

"Too long, he has been a disgrace to the order, defiling the young women and pretending it's for the Church."

"I know his reputation from Rome."

"Listen, Le Clerque, our arrangement..."

"Don't be concerned, Father. I only dispatched two of the entire party, both natives. I don't consider my efforts worthy of payment... yet."

"What do you mean, yet?"

"If they did bring something back there is still a good chance of retrieving it and until the Cardinal mounts his own expedition, any freelance efforts on our part could be our secret, no?"

"You would share with me?"

"First it will be necessary to assure that we know all they know and then that we will have no competition. I need men and they are your flock, Father."

"It may be highly inappropriate, son, but, bless you." Montcleefe felt hope and a hearty dose of conspiratorial danger soar inside as he contemplated the assassin's intent.