This time, the two of them and the elephant ventured deeper into the savannah, towards the Grumeti River, where Liam had mentioned the trade during the deal with Danny.
In June, the great migration had already seen wildebeests gathering in preparation at the end of May. Compared to Tsavo, this area was quieter. The further they went, the fewer tire tracks there were. Hotels and tourists were scarce, except for a small private conservancy. Amelia occasionally spotted a pair of bloodthirsty eyes in the bushes—usually from lions, cheetahs, leopards, or hyenas, mostly big cats.
The world was a yellow-green expanse, disorienting anyone in it.
Amelia wondered how Liam navigated such complex paths. The monotonous scenery made her drowsy, and after checking on Mike a few times, she began to feel sleepy.
...
A sudden brake woke her.
The man wore a dangerous smile, "Awake?"
Amelia shrank towards the car door.
"Do you recognize the way?" Liam asked.
"The way?"
The girl looked out the window, confused.
What way?
"Did you fall asleep?"
"Watch carefully. I'll drive through it again."
"If you can't remember this time, I'll punish you."
By sunset that day, Amelia finally memorized the route around the Grumeti River area. She didn't understand Liam's intention, but she heard a loud "Ugh—" from the back of the car.
Mike had gotten car sick and vomited his milk.
They returned to the black market just before the storm hit.
Perhaps because of the day's ordeal, when Amelia unchained Mike, she clearly heard a loud rumbling from his stomach.
The small elephant's short tail swished awkwardly a few times before it accepted the bottle of milk Amelia offered.
Mike used his trunk to grab the bottle and began to drink eagerly.
The fragrant scent of milk filled the dark corner, accompanied by the sounds of his busy swallowing.
Amelia felt relieved. Just as she was about to let out a breath, she caught sight of the mercenaries who had helped bring Mike back. They were huddled together, one fiddling with a larger-than-normal animal trap, while another wrapped an electric cable around it, tying it into a dead knot.
When they finished, one of them took a handkerchief and, without much care, wiped Mike's nose with it before smearing it on the trap.
Amelia had seen these low-cost, easily made animal traps during rescue missions.
They were just the right size to ensnare an adult African elephant's leg.
YOU ARE READING
Predator
RomanceShe used to think that hyenas were the fiercest predators on the savannah. That was until she met him, a man who navigated the African black market with ease, instantly seeing through her true identity. "Choose to follow me? Or be chewed up until n...
