evidence of the massacre other than glistening black stains on the road.
âGo on, now. Get out of here. Stop at the shore and clean yourselves off, and take care to get all the blood off your weapons. And rememberânot a word to anyone. I hear anything, Iâll cut your tongues out and have you staked over an anthill.â
The men shuddered. Nobody doubted the speakerâs sincerity. They nodded and climbed into the van, which started with a sputtering puff of blue exhaust, and were out of sight before the motorâs roar faded. The speaker walked to the bloody smudges on the road, considered them, and smiled. Everything was going according to plan, and the only thing that remained was to contact the papers and plant a statement saying that the rebel militia had kidnapped two aid workers and were demanding all foreign companies invested in the island relinquish their claims and leaveâbefore lives were lost.
The surrounding jungle was quiet, the only sound the scurrying of nocturnal creatures moving toward the easy meal that awaited them. A black SUV pulled out from behind a thicket twenty yards down the road and headed for Honiara, leaving the Australiansâ truck and their mutilated corpses at the bottom of a nameless ravine, two more casualties on an island whose soil ran red from battles fought for its control.
CHAPTER 12
The next morning, Sam and Remi headed for the hospital. Dr. Vanya was there and this time allowed them into the depths of the building to see Benji, who thanked them profusely for their help in barely understandable English. It quickly became obvious that there wasnât anything further to talk about, and after a few minutes of assurances that Leonid would help out with the hospital bills they moved back to the patient lounge with Vanya.
âWhat do you have planned for today?â she asked.
âWeâre going to interview some locals about Guadalcanal legends and then maybe go see the mine,â Remi said.
âOh, well, be careful. Once you get outside the city, the roads can be treacherous. And youâve already seen what the jungle can hold. The crocodiles are only one of the dangers.â
âYes, Manchester told us all about the giants,â Sam said.
Vanya slowed and smiled, but her expression seemed brittle. âThere are some colorful beliefs here, thatâs for sure.â
âAs weâd expect in any isolated rural society,â Sam acknowledged. âWeâre respectful of the traditions that fostered them, but still . . .â
âIâve heard about giants ever since I was a toddler. I donât even pay any attention to the stories anymore. I treat it sort of like religionâpeople are entitled to think what they think,â Vanya said.
âBut he did say thereâs been an increase in unexplained disappearances,â Remi reminded her.
âIâve heard rumors that there are still pockets of militia in the mountains who are hiding out. I find that far more likely than the giant explanation.â
âMilitia?â
âEver since the social upheaval, when the Australians sent in an armed task force to keep the peace, there have been those who have agitated for a change in regimeâwho view foreign intervention as a disguised occupation of the country in order to control its natural resources. While the majority seems ambivalent about it, there are still groups of people who are angry, and some of them are militant. There have been clashes.â
âThen it actually
is
risky to go explore the caves?â said Sam.
She nodded. âNot because of giants. But does it matter what gets you if youâre never heard from again?â
Remi eyed Sam. âShe has a point.â
âThanks for taking the time to escort us to see Benji,â Sam said to Vanya. âWhat happened to the poor man is a tragedy.â
âMy pleasure. Just take care that the same doesnât happen
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