The Adventurers

Chapter 6

Pazzo stood with bored arrogance and crossed arms as he listened to the father's order.

"If they resist?" He stuck a probing finger in one nostril."

"The goal is to find the treasure for the Lord. If force is required let it be in His name." Montcleefe made the sign of the cross in front of the native."

Pazzo removed his finger and rubbed his chin. He knew Forrester was not a man to tiptoe around situations and he might very well dispatch a sizeable force for this venture.

"Perhaps some of your better specimens would be welcome, just in case."

"Splendid. Then to the next part of our arrangement." Montcleefe positioned himself behind the long table in the main room of the lodge, confident he was in control of the agenda. "A full half of whatever the prize."

Pazzo stared blankly then began to laugh. "Half? Half for lending me a few useless bodies? Half for traveling through some of the most dangerous part of the country? Laugh is what you get, Father, not half" Pazzo approached the table and leaned his hands flat on its rough surface, their noses inches apart. "I will choose six of your best men to join my band." He stood upright and placed his hands on his hips, the muscles in his chest rippling like waves on the water. "When I get this treasure and bring it back to my village, then we will discuss how it is to be divided."

Montcleefe coughed violently into the corner, his stomach a churning mass of nerves. He gazed dolefully at the native chief and pondered the wisdom of his strategy in engaging the man. This whole business was causing him unneeded stress... yet the prospect of great wealth, as the Blanchert woman had described it, was far too alluring to ignore.

* * *

Forrester stood on the edge of the water swatting bugs from around his face, watching his men pack their boats and preparing to leave. There were four dugouts for two men each and one that would carry three. Chessery had risen very early in the morning to meet with Forrester and establish the details of the campaign.

The morning air was heavy and still. The river hurried by but there was nothing remotely cooling in its appearance. The journey would be hard on all of them. It had bothered him no end that she was more than equal to his gruff manner and unafraid to let him know who had the hammer on this venture.

His objections were thwarted by her knowledge of his business with Trask. How she knew that was troublesome... very troublesome. The meeting had borne tones of mistrust and veiled threats and both parties finished with an abrupt handshake.

Now they were all busy loading the craft and checking the supplies for the final time. Saxon still wore a thunderous face and spoke little, casting a pall over the proceedings. Even Chessery, who usually managed to brighten any occasion, kept a blank expression and offered nothing more than brief, necessary replies when spoken to.

Sax studied her in profile as she waited for the men to finish; the blaze of golden red hair beneath her safari hat on a head held haughtily erect by a slender neck, the generous mouth beneath the prim nose; large eyes, taking in every detail and the posture of a general on parade. Even in the unstylish pants and jacket her figure was apparent and he sighed, wondering why he was even thinking about something like that.

He knew the woman was a witch.

"We're all set." Jed Raddock announced to Forrester, holding out his hand to Chessery and leading her into the dugout. She would be riding with Jed and one of the las Almenas natives. Sax would lead with another and the other two boats held another of Forrester's mercenaries and three natives.

"Good luck." Forrester called as the four boats pushed away from shore and began the long arduous paddle back up the Gingi River.

The trip north to the area where they would leave the boats and take to the jungle and on to the Lake of Green Mist would take three long nights in weather as heavy and humid as any they had experienced to date. They noticed when passing the mission that afternoon that there was nobody in the compound and none of the missionaries were visible.

"Probably all inside pouting," Chessery commented to Jed.

"Let's hope." He answered ominously.

A blistering sun beat down on the water as the team pulled their craft well up into the jungle and took a rest break. Insects skated on the river surface, drawing the interest of hungry fish and birds. The natives retreated to their own little campfire and began cooking fish they'd caught on the way up river.

Sax settled for water and some dried meat while Chessery managed to provide slices of cheese and crusty bread she'd wangled from the mission kitchen. Jed and Anson Taylor, the other mercenary, ate with her. When she'd finished eating, she strolled over to where Sax lay on a clump of grass, worrying a twig between his fingers.

"How far have we come, Saxon," she asked.

"Not far enough. I figure two more nights after tonight before we take to the jungle." He raised his hand at the wall of vegetation and let it drop again.

"Will we have enough provisions?" She asked, suddenly concerned.

"As much as we could carry without compromising our progress. We can hunt and fish. Water might be tougher so don't waste any"

"I thought they could find water anywhere," she said, pointing to the natives.

"They can but you might not want to drink it. They have different constitutions and if you get the trots or dysentery you aren't going to be a happy camper." He studied her a moment.

"What happened with you and Forrester?"

"What do you mean?"

"I sensed a large cloud of animosity around both of you when we left."

"It was nothing. I think he likes to feel all powerful in all circumstances."

Sax humphed. "I can imagine how that went."

He returned to peeling the twig in his hand. She felt the barb and struggled for a comeback, finding none she left his obvious disinterest and went back to the others.

"Having trouble?" Jed returned with a leather bag from the boat; the question was rhetorical. "I brought you some extra socks." He handed her the bag and sat down by the tree next to her. "I saw what you packed and it wasn't enough. When you get into that damp, steamy undergrowth you can't keep anything dry and wet feet will blister in a heartbeat."

"Thank you, that was very considerate."

Jed smiled and rested his head against the bole of the tree. "You should nap if you can, we'll be leaving soon and not stopping until dark."

"Do we know where to stop?"

"The las Almenas boys do."

"I mean they must know good spots, right?" He nodded a smile and closed his eyes.