“Not the resort,” Jason said, ignoring the other man’s reaction. “The preserve. The science station where Eric Davies lives. There’s a house? I think it’s a different place than the resort.”
The men visibly relaxed, but the older one kept looking back and forth between Peta and Jason, like he was trying to make up his mind. “Yes, the preserve is close,” he finally said. “But you should—”
“Leave Bottopassi,” the younger man interrupted, turning to point down the street they’d been on. “Do not turn to river. Take next road to jungle. It is marked with name.”
“Thank you,” Jason said. He reached out a hand to shake, but they both stepped back to the fire and sat without accepting it.
Peta pulled at his arm, obviously eager to return to the Jeep. Tyler didn’t blame her. It was all creeping him out. He wouldn’t have been surprised if someone with white face paint jumped out and started chanting.
As Jason and Peta reached the Jeep, Tyler went to follow them. Pivoting, he noticed the older man was staring intensely at him, the firelight making his eyes glow. Hesitating, Tyler tried to smile but knew he came up short. Suddenly feeling bold, he asked the one thing he was most curious about. “What’s Kra Puru mean?”
The fire crackled as it consumed some sap, sending sparks up into the cloying darkness. Whether it was the shifting shadows of the dancing flames, or in reaction to the question, the man’s face darkened and his voice came out in a whisper. “Soul Taker.”
Wishing he hadn’t felt quite so brave, Tyler climbed back into the Jeep. He didn’t bother to look behind them as they pulled away, already certain they would be followed until the edge of the village. He understood now why the people were acting that way. They believed The Kuru was something evil, and not just a disease.
As the rest of his group discussed the new directions, Tyler thought about his parents and the rest of the world, and thought that maybe the old guy could be right.
Chapter 28
PETA
Amazon Jungle near Kumalu, Suriname
Northeast interior of South America
The directions proved to be accurate, and after passing one road that led toward the river, they stopped at a second one that went in the other direction and disappeared into the heart of the jungle. They hadn’t gone more than ten miles before reaching it, but it felt like a much longer distance through the thick foliage that was winning its war with the rutted tracks.
“A real sign,” Jason pointed out, as they all stared at a pole with the words ‘Libi Nati Preserve’ in red lettering on a metal placard at the top.
He sounded optimistic, and Peta appreciated his positive energy. While she was eager to get to the preserve and possibly sleep before going to the resort in the morning, she was also scared for Jason. Even though the survival rate throughout Suriname appeared to be at least four times higher than in the states, he had to know how the odds were stacked against him. The horrible reality was that he was going there to confirm his daughter’s death.
As they turned toward the preserve, Peta rested her hand on the rifle leaning against her leg. They had a limited amount of ammunition, but it still provided a small measure of comfort in a world that didn’t offer much. Glancing up at the rearview mirror, she could just make out Devon’s outline, where he was crouched down in the back. He had the other AR, and was pointing it out the back window, though she suspected he couldn’t see much. He’d been extra-nervous since the ‘cat incident’. Eddy was the only one who wanted to talk about it, but there were already too many unknowns, and it didn’t help to speculate on yet another.
They hadn’t gone more than a few-hundred feet down the road to the preserve, when a blinding light suddenly flared behind them. Confused by the totally unexpected glare, Peta wasn’t sure at first what it was.
“Truck!” Devon shouted. “And they’re coming up fast.” Turning his head, he looked past Eddy and yelled at Jason. “Who the hell would be out here, man?”
“Open your window!” Jason roared back. “And get ready to shoot.”
As they accelerated and began a dizzying flight over the narrow, winding road and uneven ground, Peta pulled the rifle against her chest and fumbled with the safety. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do with it, but it seemed the prudent course of action.
“Seatbelts!” Jason ordered.
Blindly reaching for the strap over her shoulder as a low hanging branch banged against the windshield, Peta reconsidered her first response, and decided the seatbelt was definitely more important than the weapon.
“Get Marty down!” Tyler demanded.
Peta turned enough to see that Eddy was buckling Tyler in, while the teen waved his hands at Devon.
“Sure!” Devon yelped. “Let’s all worry about the dog, because my ass isn’t exposed at all!” In spite of his wisecrack, Devon was actively pushing Marty down as he spoke, and using the dog’s back as a brace for his shooting elbow.
“They’re armed,” Eddy said with way too much calm.
“I see it!” Jason snapped, and sped up even more.
Peta strained to look beyond Devon, and saw that the men were right. The unmistakable shape of a long rifle or shotgun barrel was sticking out the passenger-side window, backlit by the headlights, and their occasional brake lights.
“Should I shoot?” Devon demanded, close to panic. “I don’t know what to do here, guys!”
Before Jason or Eddy could answer, the lights abruptly retreated as their pursuers slowed. In the ensuing darkness, Peta blinked rapidly to adjust to the
