by Carrie Regan
In exchange for the exclusive interview, AM Live’s sexy young anchor, Tanya McBride, would promote Adventure’s website (“If you want to read the latest dispatches from the field, log on to…”), as well as Max Carrington Week on the Adventure Channel. If the first broadcast went well, the network hinted that they’d consider airing daily videophone updates for the duration of the expedition.
Yes, it was all going according to plan – except for the fact that Bill had offered up that morning’s interview before he’d actually had a chance to confirm it with the crew. He had no choice. If he waited even a day, the story would lose momentum, and the media machine would lose interest.
Bill checked his watch again. 8:40 AM. The show would be over in twenty minutes. The anchors had been teasing the exclusive interview all morning, and promised to break in as soon as the crew called. Bill had instructed them to ring at 7:30 AM, which would have been a prime time for morning television. Now, they had only…oh, 19 minutes left. He slammed his fist into the wall and cursed.
CHAPTER 20
As Bill sweat it out in the greenroom, the crew found a place to cross the river and settled into their first campsite in the Nburu jungle. The porters had wanted to turn back immediately, but AJ convinced them that it would be best to have the river between themselves, the skins, and whoever might be coming back for them that night. They’d need a good night’s sleep if they planned to put any distance between themselves and the skins during daylight hours.
At camp, AJ, Buddy, and Troy unrolled their tents in silence while Max ventured into the jungle to respond to nature’s call and Liz set up the satellite phone. If there was ever a time they needed to connect with the home office, this was it. The thrill of getting the story had been replaced by the horrific realization that their lives were truly at risk. After little debate, they’d agreed to tell Bill it was time to head home.
As the screen lit up, Liz read the frantic text message that popped up: “CALL BILL AT 7:30 AM ET, EXTREMELY URGENT!!” She consulted her watch. Shit, it would already be almost 8:45 AM in New York. She copied the phone number into her notebook, checked to make sure she had a signal, and dialed.
In New York, Bill grabbed the receiver halfway through the first ring with a hasty, “Hello?” His heart pounded furiously over the satellite delay. The moment he heard Liz’s voice, he exhaled and gave a “thumbs up” to the booking agent.
“Bill? Sorry. We just got your message. What’s so urgent?”
“Set up the phone to transmit video and get Max on the line for an interview immediately!”
“He’s not so available right now, Bill—responding to nature’s call.”
“Find him now,” Bill insisted. “I’ve got the largest morning television audience in the country prepared to hang on to his every word, but only if you get him on the phone now.”
Liz waved frantically to Troy. “Go find Max. Tell him it’s urgent! Bill needs him for an interview immediately!”
“You need video?” AJ asked as Troy raced off. She nodded firmly, and he set to work preparing the phone to transmit video from his camera.
Liz continued with Bill. “Stand by to receive video.”
“Good,” Bill said, slightly calmer. He checked his watch: 8:49 AM. Still a good ten minutes for their report. “I’m going to make your show a blockbuster before you even get back from the field,” he bragged.
Troy raced off in the direction Max had taken, and came upon him almost immediately, squatting, pants around his ankles. When Max heard the rustle of someone approach, he nearly stumbled backwards into his own waste.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he snapped as Troy approached.
“Bill’s on the phone and needs you immediately. Something about an interview,” Troy said, turning his back as Max pulled up his pants.
“Damn it all! Can’t get a moment’s peace out here,” he fumed, storming back toward the campsite.
Back in the control room of NBC Studios, the director motioned for Tanya, the pert young anchor, to introduce the story.
“Nearly six months ago, world-renowned anthropologist Lawrence Julian Thompson walked into the central African jungle in search of a mysterious lost tribe. He never returned. Now, a brave television crew, led by Max Carrington, host of the series Adventure!, has trekked into that same jungle, determined to find the famed anthropologist and bring him back—alive…or dead.”
“We’ve got the first exclusive interview with the man himself, Max Carrington, live via videophone from somewhere deep in the African jungle. Max, can you hear me?” The television screen divided in two, featuring Tanya on one side and a publicity still of Max on the other, above the blinking words “LIVE—EXCLUSIVE—LIVE”.
In the Nburu, Max emerged from the jungle and snatched the phone from Liz’s hands. AJ turned the camera on him, and before they could brief him, his live image appeared on television sets across America as he gave the country a piece of his mind.
“Bill, what the hell is so goddamn important that I can’t even shit in peace?” he bellowed.
Back in New York, the anchor was temporarily stunned by the outburst, but quickly composed herself. “Max, this is Tanya McBride with NBC. You’re on the air live. America wants to know, why are you risking your life to search for Lawrence Julian Thompson? Do you think you’ll find him?”
Max blanched slightly as Liz snuck into frame and offered him an ear bud headphone in exchange for the telephone handset. A true professional, he recovered effortlessly. “Tanya, thanks for having me. Lawrence Julian Thompson is a treasure to this world, and I’ve long admired his work. When I learned about his disappearance, I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. I hopped on the first plane.”
“But this is a dangerous place you’ve gone to.”
“Absolutely. For years explorers have ventured into the Nburu jungle and never returned. In fact, we’ve been hard pressed to find local people willing to accompany us. Just today, we came across a horrible scene of carnage that will haunt me for the rest of my days – the remains of some poor souls, butchered, their skin peeled from their flesh and set out to dry. Who knows when it happened, or what plans the murderers have for the skins.”
“And you’re not afraid?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. But our team from the Adventure Channel has come here with a job to do, and if it means putting our own lives on the line to find out what happened to Lawrence Julian Thompson, by God, we’re going to do it.”
Liz and Troy exchanged glances.
“That’s very admirable,” Tanya said. “And we have some news for you that might inspire you further in your quest.“
“I’m listening.”
“Several of Lawrence Julian Thompson’s belongings, which your team found last week and sent back to the US for analysis, have been tested.” On television screens across America, the images of Tanya and Max faded momentarily to a series of photos of Thompson’s backpack, sneakers, and other items.
“That’s right. We found Dr. Thompson’s pack and other belongings, covered in blood. What did the tests tell you?”
AJ slowly zoomed in on Max.
“We’re happy to bring those results to you and the rest of the world live, for the first time here on our program. The items have been tested at three independent labs, and each conclusively state that it is not, I repeat, not human blood.”
“Not human blood?” Max repeated, partly for the sake of the crew. “That’s incredible news, Tanya.”
“Tell me, Max, what does this mean for you and your crew?”
“Well, it’s the strongest evidence we’ve seen that Lawrence Julian Thompson may still be alive.” The crew exchanged glances.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to find him?”
“Well Tanya,” Max chuckled, “you’ll just have to tune in to Adventure! to find out!”
“Great,” Tanya laughed, then turned serious. “Just please stay safe out there.”
&n
bsp; “We’ll do our best,” Max responded optimistically. “Tell me, did they say what kind of blood it was?”
“I’m afraid the tests were inconclusive, Max. All we know is that it wasn’t from any animal they could identify.”
“So we don’t know what kind of creature we’re dealing with out here,” Max said grimly.
“I’m afraid that’s right. Once again, Max Carrington, we wish you and your brave crew the best of luck, and beg you to be careful out there.”
“Thank you Tanya. Keep us in your prayers.”
The red recording light went out, signaling the end of the interview. Max ripped the headphone out of his ear and threw it at Liz.
“Great. Thompson’s probably still alive, all of America is expecting us to bring him back, and there’s no way we’ll be able to leave this shithole without him. And speaking of shitholes, I’ve got some unfinished business to take care of.” He turned abruptly and stormed off.
Liz picked up the phone receiver and caught Bill in mid-rave on the other end.
“…fantastic. You were wonderful. The network just gobbled it up. They want to do updates every day!”
“Bill, it’s me,” Liz said.
Bill paused, and his enthusiasm downshifted. “Where did Max go?”
“He’s finishing up some personal business. What’d you just say about daily updates?”
“The network wants daily updates from Max as a regular part of their morning show. It’s incredible! Do you have any idea what this will do to our ratings? This is the biggest story in Adventure’s history.”
“So you expect us to interrupt whatever we’re doing at the same time every day, find a place where we’ll actually get a satellite signal, and pray that we can get through?” They were all exhausted, and certain only moments ago that leaving was their only option. Now, it looked like Bill had other plans.
“Is this something I should discuss with Max?” he asked dismissively.
Liz fumed. Max didn’t even know how to set up the satellite phone; she practically had to dial the numbers for him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure it happens. Just tell me what time.”
“That’s my girl. Same time tomorrow. And Liz, I won’t forget all you’re doing to make this happen.” He’d learned long ago how to deal with her. She’d complain, but she’d always get the job done, especially if you threatened to go over her head.
Troy approached while she was still on the phone. “Did you tell him we decided to leave?” he whispered.
“Here, you tell him,” she said, handing him the phone. He looked at it with some hesitation before bringing it to his ear.
“Hello Mr. Warner…yeah, everything is going great, yeah…yeah, I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity…yes, learning a lot…not so tough, no…yeah, we could easily spend another week out here…thank you for saying so, I think he’d be proud too…”
That sealed the deal, Liz thought. No one would be leaving the Nburu until they found out what happened to Lawrence Julian Thompson.
CHAPTER 21
A palpable quiet descended on the team that night. They ate silently, soberly reflecting on the day’s events: the horror of finding the skins, their determination to leave, and the sudden shift brought about by Bill’s media maneuvers in New York.
Bill was only doing it for his own good, Max knew. There were countless other, younger faces out there ready to take his place, and he needed this expedition, whatever the risk. The team hadn’t signed on for this nightmare, though. He looked at Buddy, still in shock from the sight of the skins. Instead of his usual three servings at dinner, he’d barely finished one.
Across camp, the porters had gathered around their own fire, quietly conspiring. Liz noticed Moe sitting quietly among them, staring into the fire. She’d revealed to him over dinner that they’d decided to continue, and he’d responded with a blank nod. He seemed shrunken, a deposed monarch. Something was up.
After the meal, Max set off for a nearby stream to wash up, and Troy and Buddy leapt up to join him. He shook his head, wondering how long they’d been waiting for someone else to make the first move so they wouldn’t have to venture in the jungle alone to take care of business. Liz and AJ remained by the fire.
“You all right? I mean, today was…”
“Pretty grim, huh?” Liz finished. “I’m okay. Thanks for asking. How about you?”
“I’m okay. Worried about Buddy, though.”
“His flashlight will be on all night tonight, huh?”
AJ smiled. “You noticed?”
“It’s hard not to. I was wondering why we needed so many batteries for this shoot.”
“What do you think’s going on over there?” AJ asked, motioning toward the porters.
“I told Moe that we’re continuing. They’re probably arguing about it, trying to negotiate a better deal. He’ll sort it out. I trust him.”
“Do you think we’re making the wrong decision?”
“We didn’t make any decision. It was made for us.”
“Yeah, but let’s face it. If we really wanted to go, there’s nothing stopping us from turning around and walking out of here tomorrow. No one has a gun to our heads.”
“Bill’s already set up those damn daily interviews,” she reminded him.
“So? We’ll fake them along the way as we march our asses out of this jungle,” AJ said, stoking the fire.
“We can’t fake them. They’d figure it out. Troy would spill the beans back in the States and all of our careers would be over. When it comes down to it, we need the story. It’s no secret the network isn’t doing well.”
“There are always other networks, other jobs.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re a freelancer. My future is tied to Adventure, just like Max’s.”
“Do you really care that much about all this?” he asked intently.
She paused. “I used to. When I first started, I was so naïve. I thought I’d be teaching people something. I believed this work had more integrity than going to Hollywood and working on some stupid sitcom.”
“And now?”
“Now? Look at us out here. We’re not teaching anyone anything. We march into these far-off places, practically turn them into movie sets, and only care about shooting what fits our predetermined storyline, only the most sensational shit. It’s all about what will rate well.”
“So why are you still here?”
“I’ve done my time with the Adventure Channel. I’m not jumping ship until I’ve got something to show for it,” she said firmly.
“Look at you! You’ve got plenty to show for it.”
“Like what? That when it comes to appointing a producer, they prefer some rookie who’s fresh out of film school to me?”
AJ put a consoling arm around her. “Hey, you know that’s more about pedigree than anything else.” She leaned into him, allowing herself to be comforted. The camp had grown quiet. Even the porters were silent. The only sound came from the crackling fire.
AJ looked down at her, cradled in his arm. “If you ask me, I think you’re pretty terrific,” he said, just loud enough for her to hear.
His lips brushed against her forehead, and she tensed slightly, then instantly wondered if he could tell. He was picking this moment to make his move? He stroked her arm gently, tenderly, and her heart raced at his touch. She needed this now, needed to be comforted – and maybe, she thought, he did too. She felt his lips gently brush her hair.
“Control,” she tried to tell herself.
“Screw control,” came the response.
The sudden sound of male voices and feet shuffling through brush surprised them.
“Oooh—look what we’ve got here!” came Troy’s obnoxious voice.
Liz and AJ pulled apart awkwardly, embarrassed.
“Gentlemen, I think it’s time we turn in,” Max announced, glaring at Troy. “We’ll need to get an early start if we’re going to gain any ground before tomorrow’s report.”
>
Sheepishly, Troy agreed, and Buddy followed suit. To their surprise, Liz rose to join them. The men’s arrival and obvious suspicions had killed the mood and given her powers of logic a chance to return. She needed to remain in control, not succumb to rash feelings, no matter how badly she might want AJ at that moment.
Confused, AJ watched her retreat. She had appeared to respond, and the men were obviously giving them an opportunity to be alone. So why’d she flee? He willed Liz to reemerge from her tent, to pick up where they left off. But after half an hour, it was obvious nothing more would happen. Frustrated, he tossed the stick into the hot embers and shuffled off to bed.
***
Several hours later, Liz awoke to a rustling outside her tent. She bolted upright and checked her watch: 3:38 AM. Too early for anyone in their right mind to be up, even the porters.
The rustling sounded once again, followed by a low whisper: “Liz!”
The campfire scene came flooding back. AJ, she thought hopefully, heart beating a million miles a minute. Unzipping the tent, she was surprised and disappointed to find Moe instead.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” he said, averting his eyes respectfully, “but I needed to talk to you.”
In the darkness behind him, she could make out the shadowy forms of the porters quietly milling about, the tips of their cigarettes glowing red with each sharp inhale.
“What is it?” she asked. Instead of responding, he glanced back at the porters, indicating a reticence to discuss the topic in front of them. She pushed her sleeping bag aside and motioned for him to enter. Crawling in, his eyes still avoided hers. He looked younger, humbled, unsure of himself for the first time since they’d met.
“They’re going to leave. They say it’s not safe. I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.
Liz drew in a sharp breath. She tried to picture the journey without them, the difficulties they’d face, and told herself not to panic. “What do you think you should do?” she asked.
Moe shrugged slowly. “I’m responsible for them. If they want to leave, I have to honor that. We had an agreement.”