“You’re kidding, right?” Sal asked when one of the men pointed to her boots.
“Meet the natives of Costa Rica,” Connie said, opening her hands to show she was weaponless and harmless.
“I sure hope they’re friendly,” Sal said, remaining still. “What should we do?”
“Do?” Connie asked, looking askance. “The ‘doing’ is up to these people.”
“Maybe they’ll just go away,” Sal offered.
“I don’t think that’s likely,” Connie answered. “They didn’t just happen to show up. They’ve probably been trailing us for some time.”
Suddenly, one man stepped out and pointed his spear at Sal’s boots. The others started talking at once, looking down at Sal’s feet. Something about Sal was making them anxious.
“This doesn’t look so good,” Delta said, resisting the urge to go for her machete. She didn’t need to know anything about tribal cultures to know these men were agitated, and Sal’s appearance appeared to be the cause.
Connie attempted to communicate again, but still to no avail. Whatever language they spoke, it wasn’t Spanish.
“Well, we can’t outrun them, and we can’t outfight them, so what now?” Sal looked around for a way to escape.
Connie watched the men talk to each other. “I think the fatigues or the boots scare them.”
“Well, it’s too late to do anything about that,” Sal said bitterly. “I’m not taking them off.”
The man next to Sal shouted something at her, as the rest of the men opened the circle up and pointed in the direction from which they’d come.
“I think he wants us to go that way,” Connie said, slowly reaching for her backpack. Before her hand could reach it, a spear landed right in the middle of it, pinning it to the ground.
“Guess that means it stays here,” Delta said.
Two men grabbed Sal and pushed her up front. “Hey, take it easy! What did I do?”
“Just do what they want,” Connie said, watching Sal be escorted away by two of the natives.
“Con, in all of your reading, you didn’t happen to see if these guys are vegetarians, did you?” Sal asked over her shoulder.
“Relax, Sal. I don’t think they mean us any harm.”
“That’s a relief.”
Walking next to Connie, Delta tried to read her face. “Con, are we in big trouble here?”
Connie looked around at the stern faces of the men. “To be honest, Del, I really don’t know. But I imagine we’re about to find out.”
They had hiked for a little over an hour in relative silence, following the leaders of the small band of warriors, when they suddenly came upon a clearing. Dotted around this open space were thatched-roof huts and various lean-tos. Women and children were occupied with assorted tasks; the women were working over open fires, while the children were making something with bright red and yellow feathers. When the bare-breasted women saw them, they rose up from their duties and calmly walked into their huts.
“Remarkable,” Connie muttered.
“What?” Delta asked.
“They’ve brought us to their village.”
“This is a village?” Delta glanced around. Other than the huts and the fire, there was little to indicate to Delta that this was a village.
“Del, there are four remaining tribes that they know of left in Costa Rica. We’ve just been brought to the village of one of those tribes. Few, if any, Westerners get the opportunity to see this. What luck.”
“Luck? Did you say luck? We don’t even know what they’re going to do to us!” Sal said, and was immediately nudged by one of the men. Connie glanced around and shook her head. “These people seem to be most interested in your boots, Sal.”
“Well, they can’t have them!” Sal replied defiantly.
“Sal—”
One of the men motioned for Sal to sit against a tree.
“If we could tell them we’re not hostile, maybe they can help us get out of here.”
“And how are we going to do that? They don’t appear interested in being friendly,” Sal said.
Three men spoke to each other before pointing to a tree and motioning for Connie and Delta to sit there. When they sat, two men stood guard with six-foot spears while the others disappeared into one of the huts.
Delta said, “Listen, they have no idea who we are, what we want, or if we mean any harm to them. We’re wandering around in their backyard; I can see why they’d be suspicious.”
Before Connie could comment, a man wearing a number of necklaces emerged from the hut and approached them. Connie and Delta both stood up, but the slender, older man strode confidently over to Sal and spoke to his men, who took each of her arms and pulled her to her feet.
“Umm, Con?” Sal whimpered.
Connie stepped forward, but the men guarding her would not let her through.
“Do something, will you?” Sal pleaded, keeping her eyes on the larger of the two men.
In one swift movement, the two men holding Sal’s arms practically lifted her off the ground and whisked her away. Delta stepped forward as well. Like the proverbial fish out of water, she hadn’t a clue what she could do to help her friend. Where were they taking Sal?
“What do we do now?” Delta whispered to Connie.
Connie shrugged. “Even if we could escape, they’d spear us in the back as easily as we throw paper in the trash can.”
“But Sal—”
“Isn’t in any danger that we know of.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?” Delta glanced around the tiny village. Where were the women she’d seen when they first arrived?
Less than five minutes later, Connie grinned and pointed to the hut. “Look, they’re bringing her out already.”
Delta looked up to see Sal smiling. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Sal just shook her head, the grin still deeply entrenched on her face. “You’re not going to believe this. I mean, you are not even going to believe this.”
Delta and Connie glanced at each other and then back at Sal, who was still shaking her head.
“What? What is it?” Delta asked, looking over Sal’s shoulder.
Sal hooked her thumb behind her. “You’ll see.”
Delta sighed as she stared beyond Sal’s right shoulder, in the direction of the hut Sal had just left. The sun was hot against her face, so Delta shielded her eyes with her hand. “What? I don’t see anything.”
“Just wait.”
Delta squinted against the sun’s rays and wondered what could possibly have made Sal grin so broadly. “Sal?”
“There.” Pointing to the hut’s entrance, Sal continued beaming. “You were right, Con. These guys aren’t barbarians. They’re...well...you’ll see.”
Delta and Connie exchanged curious glances.
“At least we’re not in any harm,” Connie whispered before returning her attention to the hut.
Suddenly, from out of the hut came a woman; a white woman, wearing jeans and a dirty pink, torn tee-shirt. As the woman ran toward them, it took Delta a fraction of a second before she realized who the woman was.
“Megan?” Pushing the spears away, Delta ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she swept Megan up in her arms. Crushing her lover to her chest, Delta held on with every bit of energy she possessed. “It is you!”
“My love!” Megan said, embracing Delta so hard, Delta could barely breathe. “I knew you’d come! I knew!”
Finally putting Megan on the ground, Delta took Megan’s face in her hands and gazed into the blue eyes she had missed so much. The same sparkle and warmth shone from them just as it always had whenever Megan looked into Delta’s face. “Are you okay?”
Megan’s smile lit up the forest. “I’m fine, sweetheart.” She stepped back and looked at Delta. “But what about you? Are you all right? How in the world did you get here?”
Delta pulled Megan back into an embrace and closed her eyes tightly. Nothing she could
say or do could keep the tears from rolling down her face. Suddenly, all the fear of losing Megan, all the anxiety she had experienced over the last few days, flooded her. “Oh, God, Megan, I thought...”
“Shh, my love, I’m here. I’m here.” Megan held Delta for a minute while she cried. When Delta finally raised her head, Megan wiped her tears and smiled warmly. “I knew you’d come. I knew you were in Costa Rica.” Releasing Delta, Megan reached over for Connie, who had slowly ambled over for her own reunion. Embracing Connie, Megan did not let go of Delta’s hand. “Thank you for keeping her safe.”
Connie grinned. “It’s my job.”
Megan pulled away and smiled. “You’re an expert at it by now.”
Connie reached out and lightly touched Megan’s face. Both women had tears brimming in their eyes. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Meg.” Wrapping her arms around Megan’s neck once more, Connie hugged her tightly. “God, is it good to see you.”
After kissing Connie’s cheek, Megan pulled Delta to her and held her again. “I just knew it.” Megan reached over and draped her arm around each of their necks. “If anyone could find me, you two would.”
“We three,” Sal said, joining them. As Sal moved toward the huddle, the men backed away from her.
“What is it with these guys, anyway?” Sal asked, hugging Megan tightly.
Megan grinned down at the little woman. “It’s good to see you, Sal. How on earth did Josh let you come here without him?”
Sal took her cap off and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Umm...long story.”
“Speaking of stories,” Delta said quietly, “who in the hell were those guys holding you captive? And what is this about gold? And where in the hell is that Augustine guy who was supposed to be taking care of you?”
Megan pressed a finger to Delta’s lips. “There’s plenty of time for answers, my love. But we have an obligation to the people who reunited us.”
“But—”
“But later,” Megan said breathily.
Delta thought she might fall down.
“Megan’s right, Del,” Connie said. “There are certain customs we would be wise to follow. Megan, Sal thought we were going to be prisoners here.”
Kissing Delta’s cheek, Megan smiled warmly. “The Bribri aren’t holding us prisoners, Con. They’re my friends.”
“Friends?” all three women said in unison.
Megan nodded as she slipped her hand into Delta’s. “Good friends, right, Tamar?”
As Megan spoke, a young man dressed only in jeans walked out of the hut accompanied by a rather old man nearly a foot shorter. The two men walked up to Megan and Delta. “Yes. Good friends,” the younger man said as he turned to the older man and translated.
Tamar and the older man began talking in a way that sounded to Delta more like a song than a language. When they finished, Tamar turned to Megan and translated. “Itka thought these were the soldiers you told us about.”
Everyone turned to look at Sal, who blushed. “And here I thought they were admiring my attire.”
Megan took Tamar’s hand and held it in both of hers. “Please thank Itka for all of his help, and explain to him that these are my friends. They have come from far away to find me.”
Tamar translated for the elder Itka, who pointed to Sal as he spoke. Itka listened for a long time, looked over at Sal, and laughed. After saying a few more words to Tamar, Itka spoke to the other men, who strode off in various directions. The old man with the necklaces nodded solemnly as Tamar continued with his explanations. Whenever Itka spoke, Tamar listened like a college student, respectful and engrossed in the old man’s words.
“Itka says your friends should be more careful. Foreign women should not go into a forest they know nothing about.”
“Hear, hear,” Sal added.
Megan released Tamar’s hand and stood in front of Itka. She towered over the diminutive old man, so she bowed her head in deference. It was an odd picture, and Delta wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. “Please tell Itka that I will forever owe him for finding my dearest friends.”
The two men chatted back and forth before Itka nodded and walked back into his hut.
“What’s going on?” Delta asked, standing next to Megan just to be near her.
“Explanations will have to wait, sweetheart,” Megan answered. “Right now, we must be respectful to our host and join Itka and his family for a meal. That is the custom here.”
“Come on guys, I’m starved,” Sal said, rubbing her hands together as she walked toward the hut.
Joining Sal, Connie turned to Megan and grinned. “You have no idea how hard it was keeping your friend out of trouble while you were gone.”
Megan cut her eyes over to Delta and shook her head. “No, I don’t, but I suspect you’ll fill me in later.” With that, Connie and Sal entered Itka’s hut.
“I have so much I need to say to you,” Delta said softly from behind Megan.
Megan turned and kissed Delta’s forehead. “I know. But there are certain…rituals we need to follow. As much as I’d love to throw myself on you, we have an obligation to these wonderful people. They’ve brought us together, Del. The very least we can do is honor their home, their traditions.”
Delta grinned and sighed. Megan had grown so much. “Later?”
Her blue eyes twinkling, Megan nodded. “Try and stop me.”
As Delta looked up, she saw an odd expression on Tamar’s face; a look Delta had seen many times before. “He knows, doesn’t he?”
Megan nodded. “He knows enough.”
“So, what do you think, Tamar?”
Starting down the path, Tamar shook his head. “I think you are crazy for coming into the jungle.”
Delta’s grin grew. “Crazy?”
Tamar did not turn around. “Or something else. Only Itka knows for sure.” With that, Tamar disappeared into the hut.
“Something else? What did he mean by that?”
Standing at the opening of the hut, Megan motioned for Delta to enter. “I’m sure we’re about to find out.”
Once inside the hut, Delta watched curiously as Itka spoke to an older woman, who nodded before scurrying past them. Then Itka spoke quickly to Tamar, before also leaving the hut.
“Itka is going to select the best food in the village, and has asked that you sit down and rest a while. He knows you must be tired from your journey.”
Megan nodded and motioned for the others to sit. “These people seldom have enough food to offer anyone outside the tribe, so no matter how bad it might look or taste, it would be rude and wasteful not to eat it.”
“Oh, no,” Sal moaned. “Monkey brains, here we come.”
This made Tamar laugh. “Not monkey brains, little one.”
Sal sighed. “That’s a relief.”
“We eat the entire monkey.”
All three women looked to Megan for confirmation. A slight smile told them that Tamar was joking. “Relax. As long as you don’t know what you’re eating, you’ll be fine.”
Tamar grinned. “Monkey is good. Better than turkey. Don’t be afraid. You may like it.”
Megan turned and reached a hand out to Tamar. “This is Delta, Connie and Sal.”
Tamar looked at Delta and nodded. “This is the warrior woman of your stories.”
Megan smiled at Delta and beamed. “Yes, she is.” Squatting so he could shake Delta’s hand, Tamar appeared awestruck. “It is an honor.”
Taking Tamar’s hand, Delta blushed. “Thank you, but I’m not rea—”
“I must tell the others. This is wonderful news! Megan, if you need anything, send someone to the river. This is the hand sign for river. The women will know what to do.” With that, Tamar exited the hut.
Nodding, Megan watched in silence as he left. When she turned back around, there were so many questions on the three faces looking at her that she had to laugh. “One at a time.”
Delta shook her head as she addressed Connie. “I don’t eve
n know where to begin. You start, Chief.”
“Perhaps Megan ought to begin at the beginning, and we can ask our questions after.”
“Yeah,” Sal chimed in. “What in the hell is going on here? You been leading an alternate life, or what? Who the hell is this Tamar guy, and how come he speaks English?”
Megan chuckled as she held Delta’s hand. “God, it’s so good to see you all.” Megan picked up what looked like a strip of jerky and chewed it. “Augustine and I were tracking international poachers when General Zahn, a Colombian drug runner in cahoots with the cartel, snatched me right from camp.”
“Snatched you? What happened to Augustine?” Connie asked.
Megan looked down at the hut floor. “They killed him.”
Delta nodded, resisting the temptation to reach out and stroke Megan’s cut cheek.
“When I got to Zahn’s camp, I realized that he’d done the same thing to others who’d ventured too deep into the jungle. He’d managed to kidnap quite a handful of tourists and students from all over the globe.”
Connie nodded. “Brilliant maneuver. That leaves each embassy dealing separately with its own missing persons report, so it could take weeks or months before anyone put two and two together.”
Megan smiled over at Connie. “Exactly. He’s managed to abduct women who were planning on spending some time in the jungle. He isn’t grabbing tourists off the streets because that would bring too much unwanted police interest. Instead, his men cruise around the various rain and cloud forests, searching for people who planned on being incommunicado for a while.”
Delta couldn’t stand it a second longer, and reached out to caress Megan’s cheek. “Like biology students, environmentalists, etcetera.”
Megan nodded. “Yep. When Zahn’s men came to the camp, they said they were lost, and engaged Augustine in a conversation which eventually led to his death. When they knew we were searching for poachers, they killed Augustine and carted me off to that bastard’s camp. They forced about two dozen of us women to work in the caverns, where we’ve been panning and scraping the walls for gold to back the cartels.” Megan shook her head. “Can you believe it? Anything to make a buck.”
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