the other attempts on your life, then we can expect them to be breathing
heavily down our necks from now on. They are now in a position to
overlook us at will.' Nicholas was still watching the aircraft through
the binoculars.
'When your enemy is up in the air, it gives you a helpless feeling.'
Royan edged instinctively closer to him, staring up.
The green and scarlet machine disappeared over the hump of the subgorge,
down towards the monastery.
'Unless he's just on a joy-ride, he's probably looking for our camp,'
Nicholas guessed. 'Under orders from the main man to keep tabs on us.'
'He will have no trouble finding it. Boris made no attempt to conceal
the huts,' Royan said uneasily. 'Let's get out of here, then.' She stood
up.
'Good plan.' Nicholas was about to follow her, when suddenly he caught
her hand and drew her down again.
'Hold it. They are coming back this way.'
The engine beat was rising again. Then they caught a glimpse of the
helicopter through the canopy of leaves and thorn branches overhead.
'Now he is following the river. Still searching for something, by the
looks of it.'
'Us?'Royan asked nervously.
'If they are under orders from the head man, could be,' Nicholas agreed.
The machine was very close now, and the shrill whine of the engine was
deafening.
At that moment Tamre's nerve broke. He let out a wail of terror, 'It is
the Devil, come to take me; Save me, Jesus Christ the Saviour, save me!'
Nicholas put out a hand to restrain him, but he was not quick enough.
Tamre broke free and leaped to his feet.
Still howling with fear of the pit and the flames of hell, he darted
away down the path into the Thorn scrub, the skirts of his shamma
swirling about his skinny legs and his shiny black face swivelled back
over his shoulder to watch the approaching machine.
The pilot spotted him immediately, and the nose of the helicopter sank
in their direction. It came directly towards them, slowing as it
approached the lip of the chasm. They could make out the heads of the
two occupants behind the windscreen of the forward cabin. Still
decelerating, the aircraft hung suspended over the river, pivoting on
the spinning disc of its rotor, while Royan and Nicholas crouched down
in the scrub, trying to avoid detection.
'That's the American from the prospecting camp.' Royan recognized Jake
Helm, despite the bulky radio earphones and the mirrored dark glasses.
He and the black pilot were craning their necks to search the river
banks.
'They haven't spotted us-' But even as Nicholas said it, Jake Helm
looked directly at them across the open void.
Although his expression did not change, he tapped the pilot's shoulder
and pointed down at them.
The pilot let the helicopter sink lower until it hovered in the opening
of the chasm, almost on the same level as they were. Only a hundred feet
