leaving them all vulnerable and exposed. A chimp howled in the distance. Natalie shuddered. A tromp through the jungle at any time wasn’t an appealing thought.
Joseph stood in the clearing beside the plane, slowly turning in a circle.
Chad walked up beside him. “What is it, Joseph?”
“I know this place.”
“What?”
He held up his hand and pointed to the east. “That hill. And there…” He turned back to the river.
Natalie stared at the rocky hill, then turned to the shoreline. Surely it was impossible for Joseph to recognize the uniform terrain that had to be the same for the next fifty kilometers.
Nick rested his hands on his hips. “You really think you know where we are?”
“I have friends in a village not far from here. We could stay the night.”
Natalie held up her hand and took a step forward. “Wait a minute. We’re in the middle of nowhere, Joseph. Even if you do know this area, the sun will be setting soon and the trees are filled with snakes, monkeys, and only God knows what else. It would be crazy to leave here.”
Nick wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “All of us could use a good night’s sleep and something to eat.”
Chad folded his arms across his chest. “What about the plane, Nick?”
“It’s not going anywhere, and the village might give us a way tocommunicate with someone back in Kasili. I’m willing to take the chance.”
“Natalie?”
Her stomach rumbled at the thought of a hot plate of cassava and sauce. Still…“Wouldn’t it be safer to spend the night in the plane, then look for help once it’s daylight again?”
“The village is not far,” Joseph promised.
Natalie fiddled with the strap of her backpack. “I don’t know.”
Joseph took a step toward her. “You have done more for me than I can repay. Please, let me help.”
SIXTEEN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 4:06 P.M.
NINETY KILOMETERS FROM KASILI
Natalie took another look at the airplane, feeling as if she was leaving behind the last link to civilization, then set off after the three men across the damp African soil. Golden rays from the afternoon sun filtered through the forest’s green canopy and gave them enough light…for the moment.
The further they retreated from the river, the thicker the vegetation became. Sprinkled through the trees were open patches of grass, the perfect feeding spot for impala and other buck. The Republic of Dhambizao had one game reserve in the far north. The rest of the country’s wildlife existed only where villagers and poachers hadn’t driven or killed them off—which didn’t dismiss the chance of running across a lion, snakes, or even a rogue male elephant.
She shivered and slowed her steps, studying the edges of the path for snakes and animal tracks. Research treks during college had always been taken in an equipped four-wheel-drive vehicle with guards carrying rifles, never on foot without some sort of security measures. Driving through the bush in a jeep was one thing, but she didn’t remember penciling in a foot safari in her day planner.
A whoop sounded from deeper in the forest, and she flinched. A second whoop answered the call. Hyenas. Fatigue, the lack of food,and the high stress of the day all calculated into her nerves being strung tighter than a bangoma drum.
The booming foghorn call of a hippo echoed through the trees.
Natalie froze. “Joseph?”
Their new leader turned and made his way back to where she stood. The hippo called again from the direction of the river, shattering the late-afternoon silence.
“There is nothing to be afraid of, ma’am.”
She pointed toward the river. “But that was a hippo.”
“Hippos usually stay in the water till night, then come out to graze. We will be at the village soon.”
“I realize that they tend to stay in the water.” Natalie looked at Nick, then rested her gaze on Chad. Both of them were grinning. She threw up her hands in defeat. “Okay, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”
Natalie focused
Joseph stood in the clearing beside the plane, slowly turning in a circle.
Chad walked up beside him. “What is it, Joseph?”
“I know this place.”
“What?”
He held up his hand and pointed to the east. “That hill. And there…” He turned back to the river.
Natalie stared at the rocky hill, then turned to the shoreline. Surely it was impossible for Joseph to recognize the uniform terrain that had to be the same for the next fifty kilometers.
Nick rested his hands on his hips. “You really think you know where we are?”
“I have friends in a village not far from here. We could stay the night.”
Natalie held up her hand and took a step forward. “Wait a minute. We’re in the middle of nowhere, Joseph. Even if you do know this area, the sun will be setting soon and the trees are filled with snakes, monkeys, and only God knows what else. It would be crazy to leave here.”
Nick wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “All of us could use a good night’s sleep and something to eat.”
Chad folded his arms across his chest. “What about the plane, Nick?”
“It’s not going anywhere, and the village might give us a way tocommunicate with someone back in Kasili. I’m willing to take the chance.”
“Natalie?”
Her stomach rumbled at the thought of a hot plate of cassava and sauce. Still…“Wouldn’t it be safer to spend the night in the plane, then look for help once it’s daylight again?”
“The village is not far,” Joseph promised.
Natalie fiddled with the strap of her backpack. “I don’t know.”
Joseph took a step toward her. “You have done more for me than I can repay. Please, let me help.”
SIXTEEN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 4:06 P.M.
NINETY KILOMETERS FROM KASILI
Natalie took another look at the airplane, feeling as if she was leaving behind the last link to civilization, then set off after the three men across the damp African soil. Golden rays from the afternoon sun filtered through the forest’s green canopy and gave them enough light…for the moment.
The further they retreated from the river, the thicker the vegetation became. Sprinkled through the trees were open patches of grass, the perfect feeding spot for impala and other buck. The Republic of Dhambizao had one game reserve in the far north. The rest of the country’s wildlife existed only where villagers and poachers hadn’t driven or killed them off—which didn’t dismiss the chance of running across a lion, snakes, or even a rogue male elephant.
She shivered and slowed her steps, studying the edges of the path for snakes and animal tracks. Research treks during college had always been taken in an equipped four-wheel-drive vehicle with guards carrying rifles, never on foot without some sort of security measures. Driving through the bush in a jeep was one thing, but she didn’t remember penciling in a foot safari in her day planner.
A whoop sounded from deeper in the forest, and she flinched. A second whoop answered the call. Hyenas. Fatigue, the lack of food,and the high stress of the day all calculated into her nerves being strung tighter than a bangoma drum.
The booming foghorn call of a hippo echoed through the trees.
Natalie froze. “Joseph?”
Their new leader turned and made his way back to where she stood. The hippo called again from the direction of the river, shattering the late-afternoon silence.
“There is nothing to be afraid of, ma’am.”
She pointed toward the river. “But that was a hippo.”
“Hippos usually stay in the water till night, then come out to graze. We will be at the village soon.”
“I realize that they tend to stay in the water.” Natalie looked at Nick, then rested her gaze on Chad. Both of them were grinning. She threw up her hands in defeat. “Okay, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”
Natalie focused
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