something up here," Whiting whispered from ten feet ahead. Jack caught up with him, his flashlight illuminating a large dugout canoe beached at a calm eddy.
Whiting knelt in the moist mud and examined the footprints. The tracks headed inland for a few yards before hugging the shore again, disappearing in the direction of the falls.
"Aborigines, "Whiting said.
"They've got to be close," Jack said.
They walked for five minutes, each yard becoming more treacherous. Mud gave way to long slabs of wet sandstone. The constant misting from the falls provided a perfect habitat for moss and lichen, which made the rocks as slick as an oily garage floor. Tracy stumbled twice, scraping her knees against the rough rock. More disconcerting, they could no longer see any tracks.
As they neared the top of the falls, they realized a slip now would be disasterous. The rocks in front of them dropped off to a sandstone floor. While it was nothing compared to the magnificent waterway at Victoria Falls, Jack knew passing the hundred or so feet of rushing water, cascading down to smash into the swirling pool below, required extreme caution.
He stopped abruptly and surveyed the scene. The falls were so loud, Jack felt confident speaking again. "We can't go any further. It's too risky. A slip here isn't a bruised knee or cut shin."
Hammond heaved a smile. "But I dragged my ass over two miles."
"You always hated exercise," Tracy said.
"I hate exercises in futility."
"I can make it," Tracy said, looking at the expanse. "I can jump that ravine over there and scout ahead a ways, then come back."
Jack shook his head. "Are you crazy? We can't let you go out there."
"Jack, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
Whiting chimed in. "She might have a point, Jack. We are on the other side of the island now. Those things have their colony set up on the far side. If she can get across, she should be safe."
"That's a big if , Doctor."
Tracy peered at her intended path. "Don't worry, Jack. I'll be back. And don't forget. When we get out of here, you owe me."
Forty
----
A T THE SIGHT OF HIS SON , Prince Habib was shocked by his appearance. Although he had not thought it possible, Khalid looked even paler than he had the day before. His eyes were visibly sunken into their sockets and were surrounded by circles so dark, they looked like he had black eyes. The rank smell of fresh vomit hung in the air.
Habib wanted to hold his son, but he couldn't move. The agony of his inadequateness held him back, although the boy lifted his arms to him.
His disease was too powerful, and he still had nothing to offer his son. Even his vast resources couldn't fix this nightmare. Time was running out, and every minute that passed felt like a knife in the Prince's side. He had hoped he would be able to save his son, but without the formula, it was hopeless. Habib resigned himself to the idea that his son was not going to get better. All the palliative treatment in the world wouldn't stop the inevitable progression of this disease.
Without any warning, the boy retched. His slender body heaved, and heaved until there was nothing left to expel.
The Prince felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as a nurse ran in to the room and cleaned the boy's face.
At that moment, Habib's assistant Jimi came rushing into the room, his face white. "Your Highness. It is the phone for you. This is the call you've been waiting for."
Forty-One
----
A S THE HAMMERED - SILVER MOON hung above the dark rocky hills, Tracy Mills clambered along the slippery outcropping of the falls and raced along the tree line, looking for a way into the jungle before any monstrous pursuers caught her. She quickly arrived at a gap in the foliage the size of a small car, where she turned and sprinted down a dark path, into the gloom beneath the trees.
She heard nothing behind her and did not waste any time squinting back into the darkness. But she suspected that her predators would be silent stalkers,
Whiting knelt in the moist mud and examined the footprints. The tracks headed inland for a few yards before hugging the shore again, disappearing in the direction of the falls.
"Aborigines, "Whiting said.
"They've got to be close," Jack said.
They walked for five minutes, each yard becoming more treacherous. Mud gave way to long slabs of wet sandstone. The constant misting from the falls provided a perfect habitat for moss and lichen, which made the rocks as slick as an oily garage floor. Tracy stumbled twice, scraping her knees against the rough rock. More disconcerting, they could no longer see any tracks.
As they neared the top of the falls, they realized a slip now would be disasterous. The rocks in front of them dropped off to a sandstone floor. While it was nothing compared to the magnificent waterway at Victoria Falls, Jack knew passing the hundred or so feet of rushing water, cascading down to smash into the swirling pool below, required extreme caution.
He stopped abruptly and surveyed the scene. The falls were so loud, Jack felt confident speaking again. "We can't go any further. It's too risky. A slip here isn't a bruised knee or cut shin."
Hammond heaved a smile. "But I dragged my ass over two miles."
"You always hated exercise," Tracy said.
"I hate exercises in futility."
"I can make it," Tracy said, looking at the expanse. "I can jump that ravine over there and scout ahead a ways, then come back."
Jack shook his head. "Are you crazy? We can't let you go out there."
"Jack, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
Whiting chimed in. "She might have a point, Jack. We are on the other side of the island now. Those things have their colony set up on the far side. If she can get across, she should be safe."
"That's a big if , Doctor."
Tracy peered at her intended path. "Don't worry, Jack. I'll be back. And don't forget. When we get out of here, you owe me."
Forty
----
A T THE SIGHT OF HIS SON , Prince Habib was shocked by his appearance. Although he had not thought it possible, Khalid looked even paler than he had the day before. His eyes were visibly sunken into their sockets and were surrounded by circles so dark, they looked like he had black eyes. The rank smell of fresh vomit hung in the air.
Habib wanted to hold his son, but he couldn't move. The agony of his inadequateness held him back, although the boy lifted his arms to him.
His disease was too powerful, and he still had nothing to offer his son. Even his vast resources couldn't fix this nightmare. Time was running out, and every minute that passed felt like a knife in the Prince's side. He had hoped he would be able to save his son, but without the formula, it was hopeless. Habib resigned himself to the idea that his son was not going to get better. All the palliative treatment in the world wouldn't stop the inevitable progression of this disease.
Without any warning, the boy retched. His slender body heaved, and heaved until there was nothing left to expel.
The Prince felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as a nurse ran in to the room and cleaned the boy's face.
At that moment, Habib's assistant Jimi came rushing into the room, his face white. "Your Highness. It is the phone for you. This is the call you've been waiting for."
Forty-One
----
A S THE HAMMERED - SILVER MOON hung above the dark rocky hills, Tracy Mills clambered along the slippery outcropping of the falls and raced along the tree line, looking for a way into the jungle before any monstrous pursuers caught her. She quickly arrived at a gap in the foliage the size of a small car, where she turned and sprinted down a dark path, into the gloom beneath the trees.
She heard nothing behind her and did not waste any time squinting back into the darkness. But she suspected that her predators would be silent stalkers,
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