Black Mamba

by Tierney James

  Moremi groaned. “There.” He pointed toward a dense stand of trees where several mounds of dirt towered like sand castles. A disgruntled group of carmine bee-eaters created a blur of orange as they flew up from the sandy banks. “Safe there.”

  It felt like walking in quicksand as they tried to find a safe place. Once inside the ring of trees, Chase laid Moremi down then pulled him up to rest his back against one of the palms. He took some fronds to dust away their footsteps, backed toward the bush in the opposite direction then circled back to where Tessa waited. She exhaled in relief when Moremi stirred.

  He coughed through his garbled words. “Supplies.” He pointed to a pile of rocks. “Buried there. You’ll find what you need.”

  Tessa and Chase kneeled and removed the white stones, some weighing at least ten pounds, piled about two feet high, uncovering a hole, four feet wide. Once they were removed, she helped him lift two metal containers. Rust had formed on the handles and around the latch.

  The slow crash of brush toward them continued. Moremi turned his head toward the sounds. “Do not worry. I think elephants are nearby. We are protected by the trees and rocks. They can’t get to us. They get nervous when the scent of blood is in the air.”

  “That didn’t take long.” Tessa turned her attention to the metal box. Chase flipped it open.

  Moremi moaned a note of caution. “It isn’t my blood they smell. Poachers must have brought down a larger animal and may be butchering it for food or market. You must be still if the elephants come this way. Even if they can’t get to us, they may throw a stone or branch. A smaller tree would not be difficult to push on us.” He cringed as his eyes squeezed shut followed by a moan.

  Chase jerked a first aid kit out. “Tess, I may need your help.” He opened a package of gauze soaked with some kind of chemical.

  “What is that?”

  “We use this stuff on the battlefield.” He handed her a piece of gauze he’d torn off then he ripped open the pouch. “This contains kaolin. It accelerates blood clotting.” He applied it to the gauze. “Let me try and clean the wound.” In quick order, he ripped open Moremi’s flimsy tee shirt and tossed it aside.

  Located under his shoulder, the gunshot wound revealed ripped skin and a sizable hole. Normally a bit squeamish at the sight of blood, Tessa swallowed hard and watched Chase disinfect the area with some kind of cleaning pad. “Push that gauze in here and apply pressure. I’ll get more packing for it and try to tape it when we slow the blood flow. With any luck, the bleeding will stop in five minutes. He’s going to need a doctor.”

  When Tessa applied pressure, he bolted upright then fainted, his body sliding to the side. Chase caught him and laid him flat before propping his head on a blanket roll Tessa handed him from the container. He continued to apply pressure for a few more minutes then bandaged the area. The knowledge he had been a medic with the Rangers and later on, used those skills when serving in Delta Force, gave Tessa some reassurance Moremi might survive. His parents had been medical missionaries in China and had often been forced to assist in an emergency.

  An elephant’s trumpeting startled her. Several of the giants swayed outside their ring of protection, raising awareness there remained a number of other dangers facing them. Chase opened the larger of the two metal boxes and found a rifle that may or may not work. It didn’t matter since there was no ammunition available. The handgun appeared newer and was already loaded.

  “Get that other blanket, Tess.” He slid over to a large rock and sat, leaning his head back.

  Tessa tossed it to him then grabbed the first aid kit. She eased over to him on her knees and set the kit down next to him. “Let me take a look,” she said, pulling his shirt up to examine his side where the blood oozed enough to make a spot on his clothes. His smirk indicated a possible flirtatious comment, but it never came. She didn’t know a flesh wound from the real thing, but it needed cleaning nonetheless. After applying some antibiotic cream and a small bandage, she pulled his shirt back down.

  Chase shook the blanket out then held it up enough for her. “Get under here with me.” She hesitated when their gazes locked. “It’s green. We’ll be camouflaged.”

  Tessa laid a couple of palm fronds across Moremi before moving under the blanket. Chase pulled it up to their chins. He turned his head toward the throaty rumble of the elephants, moving to the delta side of their hideout.

  “I’m not sure whether to be scared of these big guys or the ones with guns.” She couldn’t help pushing herself closer to his body. Somehow, his proximity reassured her.

  He dropped his hand down on her thigh and squeezed. “I’m going to trust the elephants. These are females so they aren’t likely to let some guys walking around get close to their calves. I counted eight females.”

  “That makes fifteen then, with the little ones,” she whispered. A snort from one of the elephants and several others lifting their trunks, silenced Tessa’s chatter. She leaned her head against his shoulder then laid her hand on his.

  The sound of a distant engine floated over the waters. Tessa couldn’t decide if it was a car or a boat. Chase stiffened under her touch then pulled away to check his weapon. Moremi moaned again, alerting the elephants to their presence. A guttural rumble then a protest trumpet sound by the matriarch; the largest female followed. She watched them move away but not before the matriarch charged at them then quickly turned and joined her herd. A sigh of relief escaped Tessa as she leaned her head back against the boulder then grabbed her nose.

  “I think the ladies left a large deposit of pachyderm crap for us.” Chase threw off the blanket and crawled over to Moremi to check on the bleeding. He stole a few glances between the rocks as if looking for trouble. “We’re some ways from the water. If someone comes looking for us, hopefully the boat hasn’t drifted too far from where we came ashore.” He tried to stand. Tessa scampered up and grabbed his arm.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’m going to see if I can drag the mokoro ashore. If they send up a drone, they might spot it.”

  Chase frowned when she pulled his arm to stop him.

  “Absolutely not. What if a croc gets you? Or the poachers? Or that elephant, who I’m pretty sure would love to sit on you. Do you honestly think the camp keeps a drone? Nonsense. No. No. No. You stay out of the water.”

  “Your concern is touching,” he said, laying his free hand where she’d gripped his arm. “I figure it’s past noon. They’ll be expecting us for lunch. Moremi had a radio, but it ended up in the water. I didn’t try to retrieve it. Things were happening pretty fast.”

  “If those were poachers…”

  “They may not have been. Why would they be shooting our way? Game is over here, not out in the water.”

  “But Moremi said…”

  “Yes. I remember what he said. He may know something more. If those men meant to scare the tourists, then it will affect the bottom line for these people. You’re the one who told me how that massacre affected tourism for years. It’s becoming prosperous again. Maybe someone doesn’t like it.”

  “Like President Baboloki?”

  “Right.”

  “But why? Killing tourists would make him look bad, like he wasn’t in control of his country.” Tessa pondered the possibilities.

  “Not sure. Maybe Handsome will have some insight to this.”

  A gunshot broke the quiet sound of the wind moving through the dry grasses. Both Tessa and Chase retreated back down to adjust the fronds over Moremi. He looked nearly invisible. They’d managed to secure a few fronds for themselves and huddled together as they waited. The sound of voices drew near and added to the uneasy trumpet of unhappy elephants. Whoever approached had picked up on their trail.

  “Over here.” Someone shouted loud enough to cause the elephants to turn and stomp through the bush away from where they hid behind the anthills.

  Chase gripped the pistol then rested his wrists on the dip between the anthill towers.
With the fronds placed against their chests, Tessa convinced herself, it would be difficult to spot them.

  “You need to get down, Tessa. I don’t want you to get hit by a bullet meant for me.” Chase pushed her back. Tessa grabbed his fingers and squeezed. “I’ll be okay. Trust me.”

  She swallowed hard then licked her lips. Wanting to share a word, a moment, she longed to share how much she admired him. Why not admit she cared about him even in the middle of the night when he suffered from nightmares and might take a swing at her attempt at comfort? Before she could offer even one encouraging word, he turned away.

  “Whoever it is, I think they’ve moved farther away,” Chase whispered. “I still don’t see anything.”

  She stood beside him when he moved enough for her to see through the gap. “Maybe they just gave up and decided we weren’t a threat or got scared at what they’d done.”

  “Always the optimist.”

  “Chase, I want to tell you—”

  Another shot cut through the silence, followed by elephants stampeding back toward them, trumpeting loudly. The matriarch stormed at them, running into the anthill tower. They jumped back as it collapsed. Chase raised his pistol in the air and emptied the chamber.

  “She doesn’t seem intimidated by this.” He tossed the gun aside and dragged Tessa back as she stared in horror at the advancing elephant. More shots followed from outside their protected circle. The matriarch rocked her head then like a choreographed dance, the herd rumbled away in quick order. Chase picked up the rifle and shook his head before squinting at the area beyond their enclosure. “No more ammo,” he confessed. “But whoever is out there won’t know that.”

  “Chase. Tessa.” The familiar voice grew louder. “Chase. Tessa. Where are you?”

  Tessa let a light laugh escape her throat and tried to step out through the opening the elephant created, only to be jerked back into the safety of the circle. “Where are you going?”

  “That is Handsome. I’d recognize it anywhere.”

  “Who says he didn’t instigate this?”

  “Chase. Tessa.” Handsome lumbered forward, holding a rifle.

  “Where did he get that shiny new toy?” Chase growled and pulled her behind the remaining anthill tower. “I don’t trust him.”

  Tessa pushed at his arm around her waist to free herself while straining to see the people gathering behind Handsome. “Do you trust Carter and Sam? Because they are with him.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The boat roared through the waters, occasionally sending up a spray of water when called upon to dodge something in the Okavango. Handsome stood at the helm, focused on getting Moremi and Chase to the medical clinic. He’d dropped the director, Peter Morgan, at the camp to reassure the guests and talk to authorities if they could be contacted by radio. The waters here remained deep and clear, allowing him to open up the throttle.

  “How much farther, Handsome?” Carter yelled over the roar of the engine. “Moremi has lost a lot of blood.”

  “Twenty minutes. Less if hippos don’t get in the way.” Handsome stole a glance over his shoulder at his unexpected partners.

  Chase had emerged from their hiding place while trying to restrain Tessa from lunging forward in pure delight at seeing him. She amused him even then. The woman continued to delight him with her child-like enthusiasm. Seeing them together reminded Handsome of how dangerous it could be to cross Captain Hunter, and most certainly a death sentence for anyone who harmed the housewife from Grass Valley.

  The whole idea she had thrown in with this group reminded him of a jail inmate who was given a puppy to train then release to a worthy recipient. Only with Tessa, the chances were, they’d get her killed before being released. Maybe he’d take it upon himself to make sure that didn’t happen. Good people like his father and this woman needed someone to protect them from the world.

  Finally, the village of his birth came into view. His father and several men waited on the dock. Trickles of sweat trailed down the back of his neck. The afternoon sun could be brutal even this time of year. The boat slowed as he maneuvered it alongside the dock.

  “Peter got through to us after you dropped him off.” His father helped his men tie up the boat then extended a hand to the women to join him.

  A gurney lay on the faded, splintered boards of the dock. With the creak of rotting planks, Handsome half expected each step he took would cave in with his bulk. He moved back to where Carter and two other men who’d jumped in the boat, lifted Moremi up.

  When Chase tried to help, Carter pushed him aside and let loose some colorful words to order him away. The man had to be in on the action, no matter if he was injured or not. Other than a slight squint in the captain’s eyes, he didn’t exhibit any pain from his own wound.

  After helping get Moremi onto the gurney, Handsome turned in time to see the women pull Chase from the boat. He quickly shook them off, but his father refused to be rebuffed as he lifted his shirt to examine the injury.

  “I thought this was supposed to be a flesh wound,” Dr. Girard mumbled then pulled the shirt back down.

  “Guess I got it wrong.” Chase cut his eyes over to Tessa who had taken on the look of a deer in the headlights. “I’ll be fine. Let’s take care of one problem at a time.”

  “Very well, then.” Dr. Girard nodded and motioned for the men to carry Moremi toward the clinic. “But you’re next, then, Samantha.”

  Handsome waved the women off when they tried to assist the captain. “I’ve got him. You go on ahead. Tessa, I want you checked out, too.”

  “No. I’m fine.” She stepped toward Chase, but Handsome held up his hand. “Do as I say, woman,” he demanded.

  Even Sam stopped dead in her tracks before taking Tessa’s arm. “Let’s go, Betty Crocker. Chase is a big boy. Stop mothering him.”

  Tessa let herself be dragged away by the one person she professed to not trust. He sincerely doubted the idea they were enemies. To his knowledge, Sam had no lady friends, only men, but she may have found her match in the Grass Valley housewife. He walked alongside Chase, careful not to touch him unless assistance became necessary.

  When the women were out of earshot, Chase turned to him and spoke through gritted teeth. “What the hell was that all about?”

  Handsome stared ahead. “When we came looking for you, a call came over the radio about a group of poachers in the area. They don’t usually get so close to the camps. Too many things can go wrong like today.”

  “So poaching is a problem?” Chase stumbled but righted himself when Handsome grabbed his elbow. He missed a step and pitched forward. Handsome grabbed his arm. Chase stopped for a split second and took a deep breath before he pulled free. “You were saying?”

  Handsome didn’t try to object to Chase being prideful, and even enjoyed that the man probably suffered from more pain than he let on. “The poachers. The world gets outraged at the big game hunters coming into Africa. They say safaris are antiquated and encourage the killing of endangered species.”

  “You sound like this was a good thing. I’m surprised.”

  Handsome ignored Chase’s condescending tone. “I admit some of those hunters did take unfair advantage of big game even when warned not to. For decades, these safaris brought much money to the villages. Jobs at camps, artwork, guides, and start-up businesses were created because these wealthy hunters came for trophies.”

  “What about the other safaris? Didn’t they make an economic impact?” Chase stopped on the edge of the medical compound. Both men paused and watched the chaos of an injured patient being carried into the clinic. Handsome noticed the labored breath of his charge and his dark skin beginning to turn ashen.

  “Yes. Of course, photo safaris added even more jobs. There always seems to be an abundance of Western tourists looking for adventure. That isn’t the problem.”

  Chase cringed as he moved toward the clinic. “Does any of this have anything to do with us being shot at?”

  Handsom
e shrugged. “Hard to say. Before Baboloki came to power, there was poaching, but at a level manageable by agencies put in place to curtail this kind of activity. When he fell for the world view to do away with big-game hunting several years ago, he shot up in the polls of world opinion.”

  “But not with his own people?” Chase took a deep breath as he stopped at the steps to the clinic.

  “No. Jobs dried up. Tourists with disposable incomes moved to other hunting grounds in countries that cared little about world opinion. It didn’t take long for the people to become hungry and desperate. Poaching a rhino for his horn can sustain a family for a year or more. Soon the meat of Cape buffalo, kudu, and a number of other animals became a necessity for rural people.”

  “And the poaching…”

  “Is out of control. Animals that were once only threatened have moved closer to being on the endangered list. Although I am against killing elephants and rhinoceros for their tusks and horns, there does come a time for good conservation. We have to find a way to live peacefully with the beasts of the earth. And we have to provide for these people if the animals are to continue living among us.”

  “What does Baboloki say about all of this?”

  “He is protecting the animals. Yet, he goes on safari each year at different camps where that tourism has returned.”

  “Which he decimated to begin with.”

  “Exactly.”

  “You still haven’t given me a straight answer on why someone shot at us.”

  Chase was taking the steps slowly when Tessa came rushing out and put an arm around him. Chase’s snarl transformed into a smile at her touch.

  “Don’t just stand there with your bare face hanging out, Handsome. Help me,” she demanded.

  “He’s refused my help,” he protested, but he pushed Tessa aside and forced his arm around the captain.

  “Oh. And he is so much bigger than you,” Tessa snapped with more indignation than he expected. “Your father is waiting.” She stomped inside then pivoted and watched them enter.