The Adventurers

Chapter 37

Arkady climbed down from lashing the boat and grabbed Trask's arm. "There's a woman on board, I heard her talking."

"A woman?" Trask made a face. "It has to be Chessery. That's why the chopper came drifting down the river. She ran out of fuel so she joined the boat."

"No. It was a native."

"So who the hell-"

"Great, just great. Now you've got another person to deal with."

"I warned you to shut up, Forrester. Hammond, tie this bastard up then follow us. If he gives you any trouble, tip him into the river." He turned to Arkady and told him to lead the way topside.

Inside the lounge they could see Sax sitting in one corner, Sam asleep on one of the side benches and to add to Trask's anger, Chessery, and two natives curled up on the floor.

"What the...! She flew them all up here?"

"What do you want to do?" Arkady asked.

"We need to know where Stover is. Check his boat and if he's there you know what to do."

Arkady crept across the deck and lowered himself over the side to the other boat. His weight made it shift slightly and he stood very still, listening. Jed put a finger to his lips and cautioned Archimedes not to move. Carefully, he positioned himself next to the cabin door, his pistol raised beside his head. When the door eased open, Jed yanked it forward causing Arkady to stumble inside. Jed brought the gun down on his head and he crashed to the deck with a grunt.

"He's one of Trask's. Sit tight and keep an eye on him."

Archimedes felt the man's neck and looked up. "No need. You topped him, pal."

Jed slipped through the door and onto the narrow deck space, his eyes straining in the shadowy dawn. On the deck of the Cardinal's boat he could see the two men crouched by the lounge window and he knew it was Trask and Hammond. He moved to the rear of the boat, and leaning out he could see the end of the Zodiac and Forrester sitting with his arms tied behind his back.

At least there were no natives. He squatted a moment wondering what that meant but knew he couldn't waste any time worrying about it. He hurried back to the bow and pulled himself up onto the Cardinal's bow deck. Sax had felt the movement of the boat and sat very still alert for any sound or movement. When Jed's face appeared at the bow window he didn't move, just watched Jed's hand signals then as casually as possible he stood and kicked at Sam's feet, telling him to get up.

On deck, Trask made the decision to hit them now before they split up or got too organized. He signalled Hammond, who stood up and on Trask's signal they opened fire through the window:

Because of Jed's warning, Sax was already diving for the women on the floor and shouting for everyone to get to cover as he went. There was a shout from outside and he rolled into a ball, hauling the lounge table over top of the women Sam flopped off the bench, struggling for Stover's rifle and managing to put up a covering fire while Sax lurched through the door and onto the deck.

Trask came around the corner firing and Sax felt the sting of a bullet high on his shoulder. He dropped to the deck, trying to evade the shots as Jed ran across the bridge roof and dropped onto the surprised Hammond. They rolled around until Hammond freed his gun hand and fired point blank into Jed s leg. The scream ended with another voice in pain as Jed swung his gun into Hammond's face. Knocking him over the stern and down, bouncing off the Zodiac and into the river.

Sax felt dizzy, his simple wound had hit a nerve and his vision blurred as he saw Trask stumbling down the passage toward him. He tried to raise his arm but it wouldn't respond. Trask stopped and swore down at him, aiming straight at his head. The knife flashed in the morning sun as it streaked through the air, catching Trask in the neck.

His arm flew up and the gun went off as he fell backwards and over the side down between the two boats. Chessery knelt down beside Sax and studied his wound. Below, in the water, there was a splashing and another scream. This time it was Trask as he was hauled beneath the surface by a hungry caiman.

Krena appeared, looking worriedly about for Jed. She squeezed past Chessery and Sax and found her way to the aft deck where Jed was rolling in pain on the deck, blood oozing from his leg wound. She heard splashing at the rear of the boat and she looked down to see the man pulling himself from the water into the Zodiac. Another man sat watching him, his arms tied behind his back.

Krena looked about and found Jed's gun. She went back to the railing and, arms outstretched, she squinted her eyes and pulled the trigger twice. Hammond groaned and fell face first into the boat. Forrester looked up and called for assistance but Krena was back tending Jed. Forrester sat staring in disbelief as the water began pouring into the boat from the leak caused by one of the bullets.

His weight, Hammond's and the outboard pulled the boat into a collapsing envelope and he began shouting frantically as he sank with it into the river.