Dawn of the Epoch

Chapter LVI - The Lion's Den

The next day, Hunter traded his formal garb for his khaki, nylon convertibles and light double-pocketed button-up. The quartet, in an effort to travel inconspicuously, piled up once again into a crowded minibus and headed for Zaire.

The quartet rode into town on a crowded bus and rode out in a tricked-out Khan S56. Hongo found out exuberantly that the back end of the vehicle had been hollowed out, hinged panels had been installed into the roof, and the Vulcan fit perfectly. In an instant, Hongo could mount the large rotating cannon, throw open the roof panels and raise the tripod up five feet, giving him a pristine three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view down the heavy metal barrels. They no longer traveled inconspicuously.

After a full day’s worth of driving, they pulled far off of the side of the road and attempted to get some sleep. They pitched tents and built a small fire.

“How close are we?” Tiyana asked.

She wanted to thoroughly inspect the small device that Virgil carried with him. He had never explained how it worked. She wanted to ask, but given the larger concerns at hand, her curiosity seemed picayune. Virgil took the device from his robe and held it in his palm. It projected an emerald hologram into the air. The hologram showed the shapes and contours of the surrounding geography. A yellow arrow hovered above the location of their campsite. The geography began moving. The scene changed. As it moved, their yellow arrow grew faint. The individual rocks grew smaller as the perspective broadened. Eventually, a faint red arrow appeared on the horizon. It grew larger and brighter as the green landscape continued changing. At the end of the short presentation, strange greenish-white symbols appeared above the landscape.

Virgil read the symbols and said, “About a hundred miles southwest of our present location. Tomorrow will be the day.”

“We cannot just come right up on them.” Hunter said.

“Of course not.” Virgil retorted. “We will stop five miles from the location and hide the ATV. There will be plenty of trees and forest. Hiding the vehicle should not present a difficulty. I will then scout the area. They will not know that I am there, and if they somehow become alert to my presence, they will not be capable of harming me. I will return here and we will either launch an attack or make a getaway, depending on what I find out.”

“What if you do not come back?” Hongo asked.

“I will come back. You saw me train with Hunter. You know, at least partially, what I can do.” Virgil said.

“Hope for the best and plan for the worst, Vee.” Hunter interposed. “Answer Hongo’s question.”

Virgil responded, “Very well. If I do not return, then make an escape. Once alerted, you cannot hope to defeat him. Not here, in his territory, anyways. If I am gone, then do what you can to alert the leaders of the world to the danger. Then, return to the Kingdom and wake my tribe. I will, however, return. I can assure you of that.”

“Aren’t you being a bit cavalier?” Tiyana asked.

Virgil answered, “Forgive me, but please indulge me just this one time. I have grown fond of the three of you in the short time that we have known each other. I have a plan. It involves reconnaissance. After we know more, then we can plan more, but, for now, today, I need to reconnoiter. Please trust me.”

“Ok, so we wait. You scout. Then we all make a plan.” Hunter repeated.

“Yes. Wait carefully, quietly, and patiently.” Virgil said.

“Hunter does not excel at patience.” Tiyana said matter-of-factly.

Hunter said nothing.

“Give me one afternoon. Can you agree to that?” Virgil directed the question towards Hunter.

“Alright. Agreed, but we have binoculars and long-distance scopes. We can help. I’m just saying.” Hunter said in a suggestive tone.