'Your team and Dhamballa must exit the Jeep,' Rodgers told her. 'Let Father Bradbury have it. Do you understand?'
'Yes,' she said.
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'When the Botswana army finds him, he must tell them he escaped,' Rodgers went on. 'He cannot say anything about you or Dhamballa. The rented Jeep won't be traceable. Elements of the Spanish army will probably get the credit.'
'They can have it,' Aideen said. She looked behind her. She thought she saw three stars moving slightly. They might be satellites. Or small planes.
Or they could be helicopters.
'You'll have to find some other way out of the salt pan,' Rodgers said. 'We'll see what we can do from this end.'
'We'll figure something out,' Aideen said. 'I'll let you know what we're doing.'
'Good luck,' Rodgers said.
Aideen hung up. She tapped Battat on the shoulder and told him to stop at once. He did. He also killed the engine and the lights. The world grew dark. The sound of the nocturnal insects was strangely threatening. Aideen looked behind her. The movement of the lights were the same as the single helicopter had been earlier. She listened.
'What's wrong?' Battat asked.
'Do you hear that?' Aideen asked.
'Cicadas,' Battat said.
'No, from the sky,' Aideen said.
The woman heard a faint drumming sound droning far, far away. It had to be coming from the lights. They had to be helicopters. They were about twenty minutes away.
Quickly, Aideen explained the situation to the others. When she was done, she looked at Father Bradbury.
'Will you do it?' she pressed. 'Will you leave us and take the Jeep?'
The priest looked at Dhamballa. 'Will you swear to me on your gods that you had nothing to do with the death of my deacons?' Father Bradbury asked.
'Killing is against my beliefs. It is contrary to the white arts,' Dhamballa replied. 'I would never authorize such a thing.'
'Then I will do what you ask,' Father Bradbury said, looking at Aideen. . -*
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Aideen thanked him and got out of the Jeep. Dhamballa followed the woman out.
'How are we going to make sure we aren't killed ourselves?' Bat tat asked. 'I was looking around as I drove. There were big eyes glowing behind foliage. A lot of them.'
'I'll make sure you are all right,' Dhamballa said.
'How?' Battat asked.
'Do you have a flashlight?' Dhamballa asked.
'Yes,' Battat said.
He pulled one from the glove compartment, switched it on, and handed it to Dhamballa.
'We will use petrol,' the Vodun leader said.
'For what?' Battat asked.
While the others climbed from the Jeep, Dhamballa went to the back. He reached into the open storage compartment behind the full-size spare tire. He removed the three-gallon tank of gasoline and unscrewed the top.
'Predators do not like the scent,' Dhamballa informed him. 'It resembles rotting meat. If you put some under your arms and along the front of your thighs, all but the carrion feeders will move on. And they are cowardly. You will be able to scare them off.'
Aideen came over. 'By shouting and that sort of thing?' she asked.
'Just so,' Dhamballa said. He went over to Battat. 'You will only need a little under the arms and inside the thighs.'
Battat pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He wadded it then allowed Dhamballa to splash on gasoline. He dabbed some where the Vodun leader had instructed. Aideen was next. She looked over at Maria, who was standing at the side of the Jeep.
'Maria?' Aideen said.
