parking brake and depressed the gas pedal. The cart eased forward, and within seconds they were over the crest and heading for the clearing. He resisted the impulse to jam the accelerator to the floorboards.“Fifty feet to go,” he muttered to Remi. “Still haven’t seen us.”
At thirty feet, Yaotl looked up and spotted the cart. He said something to the other two. They turned around. All eyes were on the cart now.
“Still no reaction,” Sam said. “Hold on tight. I’m going in.”
He stomped on the gas pedal, and the cart accelerated, covering the final twenty feet in a matter of seconds. Sam slammed on the brake, locking the parking mechanism, took his hands off the wheel, grabbed both guns, and jumped out before the trio, just outside the glow of the pole light. He raised both guns.“Evening, gentlemen,” he said.
“It’s you . . .” said Yaotl.
“Us,” Sam corrected. Without a word, Remi climbed from the cart and joined Sam, who told the group, “Everyone act natural. Nothing’s changed. Just three guys hanging around. Big smiles, everyone.”
He and Remi had decided it was best to assume the pad was under observation from the Big Eyes binoculars on the main house’s roof. To avoid arousing suspicion, Yaotl and the other two would have to keep their weapons until Sam and Remi were ready to leave.“Remi, see what you can do about that light.”
Careful to stay at the edge of its glow, Remi stepped forward and studied the pole. “No switch, but the cables are coming up from the ground. It looks like standard one-ten voltage.”
Sam said, “Nice of Okafor to cut corners for us.” While two-twenty-volt lines carried enough juice to electrocute, one-ten lines carried only enough to cause a painful jolt. “Do you think you can make it to the helo without being seen?”“I think so. Be right back.”
She walked back down the road and ducked into some bushes alongside the helicopter pad. Thirty seconds later she appeared on the opposite side and, using the helicopter to screen her movements, sprinted to the pilot’s door. With the pilot under her H amp;K, she retraced her course and returned to where Sam stood. The pilot was a short black man in dark blue coveralls. His expression was one of genuine fear.Remi said, “The crate’s aboard, all strapped down.”
Yaotl asked Sam, “Where’s Rivera?”
“Napping.”
The guard moved his hand, trying surreptitiously to unsling his AK-74. Sam raised the gun and pointed it at his head. “Don’t,” Sam said, then added in Swahili: “Usifanye hivyo!”
The guard stopped, let his hand drop.“Remi, do you have them?”
“I have them.”
Sam stepped backward and motioned for the pilot to join him. “What’s your name?” “Jingaro.”
“You’re Okafor’s pilot.”
“Yes.”
“Your English is good.”
“I went to missionary school.”
“I want you to fly the helicopter for us.”
“I cannot do that.”
“Yes, you can.”
“If I do, Okafor will kill me.”
“If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”
“Not in the same way he will. And perhaps my family, too. Please, I just fly for him, that’s all. I’m not part of this. You see I don’t have a gun. I just fly the helicopter.”
“Are you lying about your family?”
“No, it is the truth. I’m sorry I cannot help you. I do not like Mr. Okafor, but I have no choice.”
Sam studied Jingaro’s eyes and decided he was telling the truth. “Is the helicopter ready to fly?”
“Yes. Are you a pilot?”
Sam shrugged. “On rotary, I’m not much past takeoff, hover, and touchdown.”
Jingaro hesitated, then said, “This one is equipped with a hover coupler. On the far right side of the dash. It is labeled ‘H-V-C-P.’ As long as your flight level is steady, you can engage the coupler, and the craft will go into auto hover. Also, the rudder pedals are heavy. I like them that way. It is harder to overcompensate. Do not be afraid to step on them. Keep your airspeed below one hundred knots. She’s much easier to handle.”
“Thanks.”“You are welcome. Now hit me.”
“What?”
“Hit me. If Okafor suspects I-”
“I understand. Good luck.”
“And you.”
Sam cocked his hand back and slammed his palm on the tip of the pilot’s nose. The blow wasn’t enough to break bone, but blood began gushing immediately. The pilot stumbled backward and sprawled onto his back.“Stay there,” Sam barked. “Don’t move. Remi, can you see the Big Eyes from there?”
She reached her hand behind her, withdrew the binoculars from her pack’s side pocket, and aimed them at the house’s roof. “I see them. They’re pointing to the south right now. Panning slowly this way. Another thirty seconds or so and they’ll have the pad in sight.”Sam looked at the guard. “Unazungumza kiingereza?” he said in Swahili. Do you speak English?
“Bit English.”
Sam pointed at the sheathed machete strapped to his belt and said, “Kisu . Bwaga Ku.”
Knife. Throw it down. Sam pointed at his feet and barked, “Now.”
The guard unclipped the machete and tossed it toward Sam, who picked it up. To the group he said, “Here’s the plan, everybody. We’re going to walk to the helicopter. We’ll go first, and you’ll follow feet behind us, spread out in a line-”“Why?” asked Yaotl.
“You’ll be the sandbags if anyone starts shooting at us. Yaotl, make sure the other two understand.”
“You won’t get away with-” “Maybe not, but we’re going to give it the old college try.”
“If we say no?” This came from Nochtli.
“Since you brought it up, you’ll be the first one I shoot.”
Yaotl said, “I do not think you will. Even if you do, the rest of Okafor’s guards will be here in under a minute.”
“Probably so, but you won’t be around to see it.” Sam took a step forward and leveled the .357 on Yaotl’s chest. “Remember your stay at our villa?”
“Yes.”
“We treated you decently.”
“Yes.”
“Well, we’re all out of nice.” To punctuate his point, Sam raised the .357 so it was level with Yaotl’s forehead. “Care for some proof?”
Yaotl shook his head.
“Make sure the others understand the plan.”
Yaotl translated first to Nochtli, then to the guard in pigeon Swahili. Both men nodded. Yaotl said, “Where will you go, Mr. Fargo? If you knew how to fly you wouldn’t have been talking to the pilot. If you stop now and surrender-”Sam interrupted. “We’ve had enough of Nightmare Island. We’re leaving, and we’re taking our bell with us.”
“The bell . . . Is it so important you are willing to die for it?”
Remi spoke up. “Is it so important that you murdered nine tourists for it? Sam, he’s stalling us.”
Sam nodded. “Keep an eye on them. I’m going to see about making those carts disappear. Yaotl, take the laces out of your boots and give them to me.”
Yaotl bent over, removed the laces, balled them up, and tossed them forward. Sam retrieved them and walked to the golf cart. Thirty seconds later, the steering wheel was locked down by one of the laces. Sam released the parking brake, braced his arms on the front bumper, and pushed the cart over the crest of the hill, where it started rolling on its own. After a few seconds it disappeared into the darkness. He then repeated the process with the Cushman, and returned to Remi’s side.“Ready?” he asked.
