together,’ Bertram said. ‘We got an all-terrain vehicle over there with
a wagon. It was all we could think of to get that many animals back to
the staging area.’
‘How many animals did you get?’
‘Twenty-one,’ Bertram said. ‘Which is a tribute to my crew. It suggests
we’ll be able to finish up by tomorrow.’
‘So soon,’ Siegfried commented. ‘That’s the first encouraging news all
day.’
‘It’s easier than we anticipated,’ Bertram said. ‘The animals seem
enthralled by us. They are trusting enough to let us get close with the
dart gun. It’s like a turkey shoot.’
‘I’m glad something is going right,’ Siegfried said.
‘The twenty-one animals we got today were all part of the splinter group
living north of the Rio Diviso. It was interesting how they were living.
They’d made crude huts on stilts with roofs of layered lobelia leaves.’
‘I don’t give a damn how those animals were living,’ Siegfried snapped.
‘Don’t tell me you’re going soft, too.’
‘No, I’m not going soft,’ Bertram said. ‘But I still find it
interesting. There was also evidence of campfires.’
‘So, it’s good we’re putting them in the cages,’ Siegfried said. ‘They
won’t be killing each other, and they won’t be playing around with
fire.’
‘That’s one way to look at it,’ Bertram agreed.
‘Any sign of Kevin and the women on the island?’ Siegfried asked.
‘Not in the slightest,’ Bertram said. ‘And I made it a point to look.
But even in areas they would have left footprints, there was nothing. We
spent part of today building a log bridge over the Rio Diviso, so
tomorrow we’ll start retrievals near the limestone cliffs. I’ll keep my
eyes open for signs they’d been there.’
‘I doubt you’ll find anything, but until they are located we shouldn’t
rule out the possibility they went to the island. But I’ll tell you, if
they did go, and they come back here, I’ll turn them over to the
Equatoguinean minister of justice with the charge that they have
severely compromised the GenSys operation. Of course, that means they’ll
be lined up out in the soccer field in front of a firing squad before
they knew what hit them.’
‘Nothing like that could happen until Cabot and the others leave,’
Bertram said with alarm.
‘Obviously,’ Siegfried said. ‘Besides, I mentioned the soccer field only
figuratively. I’d tell the minister they’d have to be taken out of the
Zone to be shot.’
‘Any idea when Cabot and the others will be taking the patient back to
the States?’
‘No one has said anything,’ Siegfried said. ‘I guess it’s up to Cabot. I
hope it will be tomorrow, or at the very latest, the following day.’
CHAPTER 21
———-
MARCH 9, 1997
4:30 A.M.
BATA, EQUATORIAL GUINEA
JACK awakened at four-thirty and was unable to get back to sleep.
Ironically, the racket made by tree frogs and crickets in the courtyard
banana trees was too much even for someone fully adjusted to the noisy
sirens and general din of New York City.
Taking his towel and his soap, Jack stepped out on the veranda and
started for the shower. Midway, he bumped into Laurie on her way back.
‘What are you doing up?’ Jack asked. It was still pitch dark outside.
‘We went to bed around eight,’ Laurie said. ‘Eight hours: that’s a
reasonable night’s sleep for me.’
‘You’re right,’ Jack said. He’d forgotten how early it was when they’d
all collapsed.
‘I’ll go down into the kitchen area and see if I can find any coffee,’
Laurie said.
‘I’ll be right down,’ Jack said.
By the time Jack got downstairs to the dining room, he was surprised to
find the rest of his group already having breakfast. Jack got a cup of
coffee and some bread and sat down between Warren and Esteban.
‘Arturo mentioned to me that he thought you were crazy to go to Cogo
without an invitation,’ Esteban said.
With his mouth full, all Jack could do was nod.
‘He told me you won’t get in,’ Esteban said.
‘We’ll see,’ Jack said after swallowing. ‘I’ve come this far, so I’m not
going to turn back without making an effort.’
‘At least the road is good, thanks to GenSys,’ Esteban said.