“Easy does it, guys.”
Carter and Zoric emerged from the crowd and created a diversion for Vernon who managed to slip onto the deck without being seen. Samantha stood a head taller than some of the women Chase recognized from the village where Keeya had disappeared. She briefly made eye contact, and he felt reassured she was one person he didn’t need to worry about.
The president motioned widely with his hands for the Nigerian to bring him the chained hyena again. With the commotion and smell of blood on Dage, the beast jerked and pawed up a cloud of dust. His growls filled the circle when he jumped and thrashed his head back and forth. The Nigerian struggled to contain him as Baboloki moved toward the two entangled in a dance of rebellion.
In a show of impatience, the president grabbed the chain from the Nigerian then wrapped it around the neck of the beast, and in seconds forced the animal to lie flat and stare up at his new master.
“You see, my friends. Even the beast fears me. His rebellious behavior will never be tolerated.” He reached down and patted the hyena’s head, drawing a contemptuous growl.
Some villagers slipped away, while others appeared frozen in place. The women grabbed the hands of children who tried to get closer. Some burst into tears of protest as they were pulled back toward the bush.
Baboloki pointed to Chase and revealed a smug smile then laughed. “These Americans know nothing of us, how we live, what we need or even want. They bring trouble, trying to force their way of life down our throats, use up our resources, kill our big game for trophies they aren’t even allowed to display in the States.”
Some of the remaining villagers nodded, casting cautious glances at Handsome, who stood tall and unafraid.
“Give me the diamond,” Baboloki commanded, holding the hyena tight with one hand and stretching the other toward the man who threatened his future.
When Handsome stood firm, Baboloki pulled the hyena close to Keeya who scrambled backward like a crab. She fell again and crawled toward the area where the tourists were being corralled by armed soldiers.
Chase stepped out to help Keeya when Tessa ran to her and tugged her to her feet. Before Chase could intervene, two soldiers closed around both women. Tessa struggled against being manhandled and was finally subdued by a rough shake from one of the soldiers.
Another soldier ran up to the tourists and demanded they show their hands. The Germans and Brits complied slowly, but Chase’s hand remained closed around his weapon inside his jacket. He leveled a deadly glare at the soldier who shouted orders again at Chase. He recognized him as one of the poachers from a few days earlier.
Recognition flashed in the soldier’s eyes and reached to search Chase. In the blink of an eye, he’d grabbed the man’s hand, twisted it back so fast, the soldier dropped to the dirt. Another twist snapped the bone. Chase caught up the rifle even before it touched the ground and fired off a shot at the guard on Handsome.
Soldiers all around the circle stepped forward leveling their weapons at the enemies of the president. Villagers cried out and collided into each other in a mad rush to escape the camp. In seconds, the only ones left were camp employees, tourists, Baboloki’s enemies, and Enigma.
“Guess this didn’t go exactly like you planned,” Chase said offhandedly, stealing a glance at Tessa who had her arms wrapped around Keeya. The fear in her eyes gave him hope she wouldn’t try to be a hero.
“I think it’s turned out pretty well,” Baboloki spoke with the confidence of a loved savior of his people. “These simple people understand both my strength, my willingness to suppress dissension, and that the Kifaru really possesses no real power.” He turned to Handsome as one of the guards brought the president the diamond. “You said so yourself—it’s just a piece of carbon. No magical powers. No sign of divine leadership.”
“I don’t need the Kifaru to beat you in the election. Take it. All it has ever done for me is keep me in hiding. If I had known you imprisoned my mother all these years, I would have killed you long ago.”
Baboloki pooched out his lips then revealed a devilish smirk. “Sounds like a threat to my well-being,” he said to his men. “Since you claim to be a citizen of Botswana, you should know it’s against the law to say such things about your president.” Baboloki looked over to Chase. “Even in your country when threats are made against your president then the Secret Service takes them into custody.” One of the soldiers prodded Handsome forward with his rifle.
“Then arrest him and put him on trial,” Chase suggested.
“Trial? Don’t be ridiculous. That’s a little too risky with Opperman’s people jumping ship and switching sides. They have friends in low places, and I don’t want this troublemaker to become a national hero.” He lifted the Kifaru and eyed it carefully. “But you’re right. Who needs the Kifaru?” He hurled it into the Okavango. The splash sounded like a 6.9 earthquake to Chase, but Handsome didn’t bat an eye.
The hyena lunged at the president. He lost his grip of the section of the chain wrapped tightly around the animal’s neck, leaving it a loose leash attached to a collar. Baboloki shouted curses at the animal shaking his head as it tried to back away with erratic jerks. With one last powerful pull on the leash, the collar broke and the hyena was freed.
Employees scrambled up trees or clambered onto observation platforms near the river. Even the soldiers turned away from their duties to see how best to protect themselves or the president.
“No!” the president demanded as Chase fired his rifle at the hyena but missed. Baboloki spun around toward Tessa and Keeya.
Chase wanted to fire a second time but didn’t have a clear shot because the women were between the animal and him.
Handsome snatched the rifle away from his guard who then fled immediately. Baboloki’s eyes bulged at the sight of the freed hyena who jutted out his tongue and ran it across his mouth.
“Do something,” Baboloki ordered.
Several of the soldiers took nervous shots at the beast and managed to hit Opperman in the shoulder and grazed the doctor’s ear.
“Stop shooting,” Chase yelled. “You’re going to kill the innocent.”
The hyena bolted toward the women who both screamed in horror. Keeya ran sideways, only to fall at Carter’s feet. He grabbed her arm and jerked her up and behind him.
Tessa took small backward steps, murmuring, “Good boy. Nice hyena.”
The hyena pawed the dirt and salivated white foam as it circled her. She might as well have been a wounded wildebeest calf. He lunged at her but not close enough to catch her. Tessa screamed and ran toward a set of side steps to the deck. Chase sprinted toward Tessa and caught foul stench of the hyena’s filthy body.
The hellish growls mixed with Tessa’s screams drove Chase to throw caution to the wind. He lifted his weapon even as the animal ripped into Tessa.
Chapter Forty
Tessa continued to scream as she clawed her way up the steps. The hyena’s teeth sank deeper into her leather boot then tried to pull her down the steps by shaking her violently. Four shots rang out. She lay still, face down on the steps as Chase and Handsome ran up and dragged the beast off her lower legs. Blood covered one leg on her motionless body.
Chase passed his rifle to Handsome then gently rolled Tessa into his arms and lifted her off the steps. In the last seconds of the attack she’d fainted. Laying his hand on her chest, he found her rapid heartbeat. His team formed a half circle in front of him to shield from further attacks. He gently laid her on the ground.
Her eyes blinked open as he pushed the blonde strands from her face. Tears oozed from the corners of her eyes as she circled his neck with her arms to give him a reassuring embrace.
Chase’s gaze narrowed when he jumped to his feet. Tessa’s blood now covered his clothes when he looked to Handsome. “Let’s finish this.”
Handsome rose like a sleepy giant and turned toward the president. He handed Chase his weapon.
The soldiers lifted their guns, but the Enigma team anticipated the
move and put them down one by one.
Peter, also covered in blood from his wound, jumped into the fray by taking back his weapon. He tried to put himself between the villagers and the soldiers, and sprayed a round of bullets toward the attackers. He took another hit to the leg and fell back.
In a surprise move, the two Germans pulled their weapons and took up where Peter left off who gave them time to escape to the deck.
The rest of the Enigma team picked off the soldiers hiding behind trees. Several had taken a hostage and used them for protection but to no avail. One by one they were eliminated.
It took seconds for the area to be filled with the smell of gunpowder tinted with the smell of blood and death. Baboloki retreated behind the large crate that had held the hyena. The baboon had managed to get shot and now lay with his arm shoved through the bars of it and lay dying.
“You’ve got no one left, Mr. President,” Chase shouted. “No one will hurt you. You have my word.” He got an accepting chin tilt from Handsome. “It’s over.”
The president stood holding a large metal container the size of a mechanic’s tool box. He surveyed the carnage without any show of emotion. The Enigma team checked the wounded and found several soldiers still breathing. Baboloki’s gaze fell on Handsome and Chase, his thick lips forming a sneer of contempt.
“You will die for what you did today. Such fools.” Baboloki pulled back his shoulders. “Without the Kifaru, you are nothing.”
“I do not need the diamond,” Handsome spoke with self-assurance. Silence fell, everyone still conscious faced the president and the man who would become their new leader.
“And why is that?” Baboloki scoffed.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Chase holstered his weapon. “He is the Kifaru.”
“Not for long,” Baboloki growled as he opened the box then dropped it in front of the two men.
A ten-foot black mamba uncoiled itself. Chase and Handsome jumped sideways and let out a frightened shout of warning. They waved their arms as they staggered back.
The deadly creature slithered toward Tessa who remained on her back.
“Tessa, be still,” Chase shouted as she tried to drag herself away. He would never forget the look of terror in her eyes.
Handsome and Chase created a kind of dangerous dance of stomping, kicking, and waving to distract the snake that raised a third of its body length to strike. Her hands slipped so that she fell back down on her back. Pulling her bloody knees up, Tessa sobbed and shook her head no at the impending attack.
Baboloki’s satanic-like chuckle unnerved Chase long enough to take his eyes off the snake and glance at Tessa’s pale face. Her eyes widened, frozen in terror. Her lips trembled. Her wounds prevented her from moving any further.
“Be still,” Dr. Girard called to them. “Let the snake pass, and you’ll be in no danger. He will avoid conflict.”
Baboloki picked up a rock and hurled it at the snake. It reared back slightly then lunged forward as a scream escaped Tessa. Chase dove in front of her, landing on her hip when she tried to turn away. He took the first strike on the arm.
“Handsome,” Sam called. She tossed him an ordinary garden hoe laying on the ground someone dropped in the chaos. “I’m out of bullets. Cut its head off,” she demanded as the snake reared back with lightning speed.
Handsome swung the staff like an agile ninja and managed to distract the black mamba long enough for the Germans to pull Tessa and Chase out of harm’s way. The venomous monster lunged at Handsome, striking him twice on the thigh.
Dage scrambled to his feet and pulled Keeya back. Dr. Girard stumbled forward, but Carter grabbed his arms and held him in place.
Chase felt a wave a pain in his chest, but croaked out instructions to Carter when he bent down to check on him.
“We put some of the meds in the camp cooler. Go look for the anti-venom.”
Carter jumped to his feet and pushed Dr. Girard into one of the workers. “Take him now! Go before it’s too late. We only have about fifteen minutes before the symptoms become excruciating.”
The weight pressing on Chase’s chest didn’t cause him to take his eyes off the president. He was still a dangerous man. The sound of Tessa crying and stroking his face did little to comfort him when the snake was still at large.
Baboloki kept an eye on the snake. It moved swiftly away until a sudden flight of a marabou stork, flying up from the water’s edge caused the snake to circle around erratically.
This time it headed toward the president. He pivoted too quickly and stumbled into the crate with the dead baboon. The snake raced toward him.
The president cried out, “Someone help me!” But no one moved, in fear the black mamba would turn in their direction. “Please,” he yelled as his foot hit the root of a giant Baobab tree and fell across the dead hyena.
A shot rang out as the black mamba connected to the president’s chest. Dage staggered forward, a rifle cradled in his arms. He approached the president and bent down to throw off the snake.
Dr. Girard returned, panting but holding up two needles of anti-venom. He fell to his knees next to Chase. He knew he must be in cardiac distress. He’d seen it on the battlefield many times when he was a medic. He could hardly breathe more than a shallow breath.
“You’re in serious trouble, Chase. I’m giving you the first shot.” Chase tried to nod but couldn’t even manage to do that. “Lucky we had two of these. You’ll feel better in a few seconds, my boy.”
The doctor pushed himself up and hurried to Handsome only to trip over a soldier’s rifle.
The needle of anti-venom flew in the air. Dr. Girard scampered to grab for it.
Dage reached and caught it midflight. His eyes went to Handsome who was being cradled by his sobbing mother. Standing, he glared down at President Baboloki.
“What are you waiting for?” the president pulled at his chest. “Give me the shot.”
Dage moved toward Handsome and handed Dr. Girard the shot. “Do it, Dr. Girard. Save your son. Save our leader.”
“No!” Baboloki gasped. “I’ll give you anything you want.”
Dr. Girard injected the lifesaving anti-venom into his son. Together, the doctor and Keeya clung to Handsome until he breathed easier. They remained terrified he might not live. “I would suggest everyone be moved out of here. This will be a horrible death for the president.”
Several of the village men and employees who had remained turned their backs on the president. The pain started immediately then the shortness of breath. Death would be a release in less than an hour. No one tried to make him comfortable.
The Nigerian approached the president and sat cross-legged in front of him. He watched with the curiosity of a child, turning his head to the side when convulsions rippled through the president’s body. Chase watched until the Nigerian stood and dragged the hyena out from under the president’s body, to his side. He placed the hand of Baboloki onto the head of the hyena.
When the weight lifted off his chest, Chase could focus on Tessa. He laid his hand on her as she continued to pour water on a towel to wipe his face. When his pulse stabilized and he could breathe more easily, he gazed up at her and wanted to smile but failed. She kissed his face multiple times and whispered how much he meant to her, not to ever do another stupid thing to save her, how she couldn’t go on if he died.
“Tessa?” he said licking his lips and closing his eyes.
“Yes, Chase?” she said running her fingers down his cheek.
He tried to sit up, but she grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him into her body to cradle him as he lost hold of consciousness.
~ ~ ~
Peter watched the darkness swallow the Okavango Delta just like it had been doing for hundreds of years. The fruit bats’ puppy-like barks, along with the angry lions fighting with hyena over a crippled Cape buffalo on the edge of camp, continued to put the guests on edge. Elephants trumpeted, not liking the smell of blood in the air.
The
entire camp was under lockdown after the death of the president. He helped Kirk Opperman contact the proper authorities and several seaplanes and helicopters came in to remove the bodies. Statements were taken and the story told too many times to remember.
The only one who tried to tell government authorities a different story as to the chain of events was Naledi, the president’s devoted secretary. Too many refuted her story to be believed, but her statement was taken nonetheless. Peter made sure Opperman and Dage remained in camp, and retold the story of the president trying to tame a hyena and a black mamba. They carried the most weight. They expressed concerns about the late president’s mental health.
The soldiers turned out to be no more than mercenaries who tried to take down witnesses so they could ransack the camp and cover up their poaching enterprise. Dage informed law enforcement they were also responsible, at Baboloki’s blessing, for burning down the medical clinic. Peter was promised they would be rounded up and punished.
Chase listened to Carter catch him up on the camp activity. His enthusiasm almost made him chuckle.
“Opperman offered the secretary a lucrative deal for her silence. Guess there won’t be more than one version of the truth,” Carter said as he placed his hands behind his head.
Dinner had been served on the deck of Chase and Tessa’s tree house suite. Torches burned below while officials continued to collect evidence and interview a few witnesses. One of the government officials brought word the vice president had been sworn in earlier in the evening.
Girard, although still not 100 percent himself, cared for the injured. Along with Keeya, he got to talk to Handsome and discuss the future.
“Dage dropped by earlier and said Opperman had made arrangements for Baboloki’s son to be kept hidden until he and Keeya could break the news. He’ll arrive in the morning. That is going to be rough.” Chase liked the updates, but felt the pressures of the day weighing heavily on him. “Where are the rest of the unlikely heroes?”
Black Mamba Page 32