by Razi Imam
Pham Kai managed to find a rock protruding from the reef about a hundred yards away from the boats. He swam to the other side of it and started to wade. Two additional crew members had jumped aboard his boat and were smashing his equipment. He saw flashlights moving on deck—they were going through his catch. After more shouting, they jumped back onto their patrol boat, pulled out the harpoon with a tremendous splintering sound, and navigated away into the darkness. Pham Kai wondered if they’d ripped out the entire cabin wall.
He stayed behind the rock for half an hour, making sure the patrol boat was out of the reef. He started scraping his left hand over the protruding rock, as his right hand was still hurting from the shock to his shoulder. Soon, the rope split and his left hand was free. He then used his free hand to open the knot on his right.
He moved the wooden plank in front of him and started to swim toward his boat, dreading the inevitable, yet thankful they hadn’t sunk it. It must have been the steady worsening of the current that caused them to abandon him to his fate.
Exhausted, flinching with pain, Pham Kai pulled himself aboard and collapsed onto the deck. He dragged himself to the basket boat and, using one hand, started searching the net. “No. Oh, no.” He kept searching the net, not believing his fate. Finally, kneeling next to the net, he sobbed.
The su vang fish were gone. They had taken both fish, and any hope of saving Minh with them.
He kept searching, desperation setting in with every passing moment. Finally, kneeling next to the nets and the cooler, he sobbed. The su vang fish were gone.
They had taken both fish, and any hope of saving Minh with them.
CHAPTER FOUR
Cerro Tacarcuna
“What you seek is seeking you.”
~Rumi
DR. SEBASTIAN MILES arrived at Ultimo Rufugio around noon, a popular restaurant in the coastal town of Bocas del Toro, Panama. It was a colorful establishment run by a loving gay couple that prided themselves in serving healthy cuisine prepared with ingredients sourced from local farms. The wooden dining tables were painted light blue, and the ceiling had equidistant beams running the length of the restaurant with old surfboards placed over them. Instead of walls, the restaurant opened onto the ocean, giving the feeling of dining outside while enjoying cover from the sun.
Sitting down at a small table for two, Sebastian realized that one of the legs was shorter than the others, making the table wobble. Tucking a folded napkin under the leg, something caught his eye—a large mural of the Panamanian jungle on the back wall. He sat up and studied it, fascinated by the hidden animals throughout. A big green frog peeked through the leaves in the foreground, a bird-like creature blended in with the tree branch on which it perched, and a monkey-like animal sat hidden at the base of the tree.
Maria Rodriguez walked in. She was a professional explorer who had to sign off on Sebastian’s project before his boss at the Bocas del Toro Marine Research Center would even consider funding it. A Junoesque mountain climber, he thought tapping his fingers on the table.
Maria was tall and slender with sharp features, yet a particular softness to her face. She had a golden complexion—a natural tan of some sort—and her black shoulder-length hair had reddish-brown streaks from frequent swimming in seawater. She walked over and sat across him in one smooth elegant motion. She crossed her legs, revealing toned muscle.
They ordered two Soberanas and sparkling water. After a few introductory exchanges, Maria jumped in. “So, tell me about your adventure.”
Sebastian cleared his throat, took a sip of his beer. “I need your help in searching for a unique marine life that I believe lives deep in the Panamanian jungle.”
Maria pulled her hair back, tying them with a beaded band that initially served as a bracelet. “Marine life in the middle of the jungle?”
Sebastian nodded. “It’s a specimen that in my opinion is related to an evolutionary mystery belonging to the Cerithideopsis Californica and Cerithideopsis Pliculosa family.”
Maria smiled. “Cerithideopsis? You want to go into the Panamanian jungle to find snails?”
Sebastian laughed rubbing the back of his right hand with his left thumb. He’d hoped that by using scientific names, she wouldn’t catch that fact. “Not just any snails—the snails that would solve one of the most powerful questions of evolution: how did humans evolve?”
He pressed on. “I’ve been researching this field for over five years and based my doctoral thesis on the subject at the Scripps Oceanography Institute. You see, there’s a big problem with the current evolutionary theory. It doesn’t explain how humans evolved. Scientists have yet to find a clear connection between apes, monkeys, and humans based on Darwin’s theory. Around twenty million years ago, humans separated from primates, and some of us believe they evolved based on a theory by renowned evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould called “Step Evolution”—the process by which a species takes a genetic leap forward to adapt to their changing environment. We know Step Evolution exists among many other species, but we still lack conclusive evidence, living or fossilized.”
Maria leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. “Interesting. So, these snails may be able to prove Step Evolution?”
“Yes!” Sebastian confirmed. “This discovery would be as significant in the field of genetic engineering as gravitational waves were for astrophysics.”
“Why do you think these snails can be found in the Panamanian jungle?” Maria asked.
“Maria,” Sebastian said, taking a technical tone. “Evolutionary scientists believe that the Isthmus of Panama, where we are sitting today, is the perfect location for such finds.
The formation of this tiny strip of land connecting North and South America parted the ocean three million years ago, forever separating entire families of marine life. As a result, these families each evolved in their own way, in two separate oceans that became different from each other in terms of temperature, depth, and currents. Many of us believe there may be a marine life that has survived this massive geological movement using Step Evolution. However, we have yet to find such a specimen in any of the inland waters of Panama.” Sebastian paused to check if he still had Maria’s interest.
“Go on,” she said, leaning closer.
“As part of my PhD at Scripps, I researched a French explorer, Jean-René Gustav. Among his many expeditions, the one that caught my eye was in 1920 when he went deep into the Panamanian jungle. In his journal, he mentions that he climbed through a crevice into the heart of a mountain, discovering a body of water with bioluminescent snails. The entry then ended with that information. According to the known facts of Cerithideopsis Californica and Cerithideopsis Pliculosa his find of these bioluminescent snails is a powerful indication of Step Evolution. I’ve been searching for the mountain ever since, and I think I’ve found it.”
“What makes you so sure?” Maria asked.
“Do you believe in being at the right place at the right time?” Sebastian said. Maria kept staring at him with her big eyes, and then blinked once. He took it as a yes and continued. “Last weekend, I was heading home after yet another failed expedition—adding to the grand total of thirty such attempts over the last ten months. Frustrated, I was at a traffic light in my car, when across the road I noticed a woman selling mangoes at a meager fruit stand—a wooden cart on four wheels.” Sebastian’s stared at his beer bottle, lost in the memory. “The strangest feeling came over me. I can’t explain it. So, I pulled over.
“Maria, you should have seen this lady. She was a glorious woman. She had a bright red shirt with a triangle-shape pattern, and some kind of wrap for a skirt—bright orange, with prints of animals. Her face was so distinct, even powerful, with a long, tattooed line running from the center of her eyes to the base of her nose, and this large nose ring. It turns out she belonged to a remote indigenous tribe called the Kuna. While buying some mangoes, I asked her if she knew of a mountain that had water inside it. At first, she looked surprised
to hear such a question. Then she started speaking fast in Spanish. My Spanish isn’t great, but I was able to catch the following details.” Sebastian’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial hush.
“She explained that her people knew of a mountain deep in the jungle, just like the one I described. She said the gods had possessed it when the Earth was born, and inside it lived an ancient animal. After I promised her that I’d respect the mountain and the creatures that dwelt there, she agreed to tell me its location. The mountain is Cerro Tacarcuna, in the Darien Province. I couldn’t believe my luck.”
Maria smiled. “You’re going off the word of a, as you said, ‘glorious fruit stand lady.’ ”
Sebastian returned her smile. “Sometimes the answer lies in stories that have been handed down through generations,” Sebastian said, leaning in. “How she described the mountain and the animals inside leads me to believe she was talking about Jean-René Gustav’s mountain. I’ve analyzed detailed charts of the terrain and studied the pathways of underground streams—and they too support the story. If the charts and journal are correct, we need to climb approximately 2,500 feet up the mountain, where we’ll find a unique geological formation—a small ledge with a granite table. Somewhere around that table is a crevice that will lead us into the heart of the mountain, and to the snails.”
“Cerro Tacarcuna is a formidable mountain, deep in the jungle. And we would need an extremely skilled river boat captain to even get us close to the base,” Maria said, considering the challenge.
“That’s why it’s so important that you help me,” Sebastian replied.
Maria focused on a slow-moving ceiling fan, thinking about Sebastian’s proposal. She found herself considering his looks for the first time as well—he was a handsome man, in an unconventional sense. Athletic, with dark curly hair and a square jaw sporting a shadow of a beard. His ocean-blue eyes had a unique quality to them—it wasn’t the color, but something more mysterious. She felt there was something different about him, something powerful. Ignoring those thoughts, she asked, “Ever gone mountain climbing?”
Sebastian smiled. “I’ve climbed a few mountains. I’m no expert like you, though.”
Maria laughed. “Okay, Sebastian. Let’s go get your snails.”
***
TWO WEEKS LATER, and after a vicious hunt, they found a riverboat captain. He was a grungy chain-smoker who made his living ferrying tribes deep into the jungle. In a harsh, raspy voice, he explained, “I’ll only wait twelve hours for you at the drop-off point. You’re fools to go so deep into the jungle.” Ignoring his comment, they paid his advance.
After getting final sign-off from Keira, Sebastian and Maria began the five-hour river journey toward Cerro Tacarcuna before dawn. Landing on the shore as light was breaking, Sebastian was taken aback by the natural beauty of the place. The plants were so green they were almost radiant, and flowers abounded in deep reds, yellows, and violets. Wild fruit trees grew everywhere—mango, coconut, and guava. He spotted some toucans with their bright yellow beaks, perched high on a flowering Saman tree. The fragrances, too, were mesmerizing, from vanilla flowers to sandalwood trees.
“Did you know that Christopher Columbus landed at Bocas Del Toro on one of his later voyages?” Sebastian said. “He found it so beautiful, he named it Puerto Bello.”
Maria smiled. Sebastian’s passion was contagious. She pulled out her satellite map of the area one final time to confirm her calculations. It would take them three hours to cut through the jungle and reach the base of the mountain, two hours to climb to 2,500 feet, two more hours to descend into the crevice, and maybe longer to get back out—that was if all went according to plan. If they were lucky, they would be back just in time to catch the boat before it left.
She extracted a machete from her backpack. It was a well-worn blade with a strong wooden handle. She wrapped her fingers firmly around the handle and began slicing and hacking a path toward the mountain base. Surrounded by thick vegetation, this part of the jungle wasn’t so beautiful. The air was muggy, almost suffocating.
A short while into their foray, Maria looked back and warned Sebastian of the sandbox trees in the area, which had sharp thorns. Maria snaked her way through the unblemished foliage. Sebastian, on the other hand, was starting to get cuts and bruises.
Noticing Sebastian’s condition, Maria stopped at a tree. Plucking a few leaves, she crushed them in her hand and gave him the paste to apply to his cuts. “I have cortisone cream in my backpack,” she said, “but these leaves will act faster. They’re from the Guembe tree. It works miracles on cuts and bruises.”
At various points, Maria would take her can of spray paint and mark a tree or a rock—breadcrumbs for their journey back. The sounds of the jungle were distinct and foreboding—a combination of rustling trees, screaming insects, and the occasional howls and calls of various animals. Panama’s rainforests weren’t for the faint of heart.
Three hours later, they reached the base of Cerro Tacarcuna and got ready to climb.
“Ready? If I’m going too fast, stop me,” Maria said while strapping on her climbing gear.
“I’ll keep up,” Sebastian said, not one to back down. Yet privately he hoped she would slow down.
Just like her ability to snake the jungle, Maria was a rock climber without parallel. Watching her was like watching a ballet—she knew where to place hooks, where to hammer spikes, where to swing over, where to grapple. She bent in impossible curves and contractions, moving from one rock to the next in a knowing, deliberate effort to discover the easiest path for Sebastian to follow. Sebastian watched in awe, wondering if she practiced Capoeira, the beautiful Brazilian martial art that combined dance and acrobatics. He followed her path, slipping and sliding more than he would have liked.
Around noon—which felt like a lifetime to Sebastian, but in reality was only about two hours—they reached the landing, laying eyes on the granite table for the first time. It was no bigger than five feet by four feet, jutting out of a vertical wall of rock that continued up to the summit. Several boulders that must have fallen during the last earthquake, situated at random around the table. He couldn’t, at first glance, see an opening or a crevice. Maria began pulling out their rappelling gear so she could anchor their rappels once they found the crevice.
Precious time passed as Sebastian traced each and every granite line. Compounding matters, they heard thunder in the distance. The forecast hadn’t predicted rain. A more troubling thought crossed Sebastian’s mind—what if the fruit vendor was wrong? What if Cerro Tacarcuna wasn’t the mountain he’d been seeking all this time?
Just as he was about to share his concern with Maria, he realized that one of the boulders sitting at the wall of the table had a different pebble formation around it than the others. He pulled out a sledgehammer and chisel from his backpack and began chipping into the rock. Sebastian removed his shirt, which was tattered from the journey, and wrapped his hands to protect them from the debris as he continued to work.
Maria paused her prepping of the gear and observed Sebastian. She was impressed he had been carrying the dead weight of a sledgehammer. Her initial impression was confirmed—he did not fit the mold of a scientist. Shirtless, he revealed a set of abs that, beyond question, were not acquired by spending hours in the confines of a marine laboratory.
After ten minutes of brute force pounding, the boulder broke apart. Using his upper body strength, Sebastian lifted the heavy pieces out of the way and pushed the rest of the boulder into the mountain. A small rockslide revealed a large crevice that sloped at a steep angle into blackness. Sebastian jumped up with excitement, smiling at Maria, who ran over and anchored their ropes outside the crevice. After putting on a clean shirt from his pack, Sebastian joined Maria and they made their way down into the darkness.
Sebastian wasn’t sure if he could hear the sound of rushing water over the howl of the wind, and he had no idea how deep they would have to descend to reach the stream. They alternated betw
een sliding down on their butts and rappelling with their feet, and bumping into rocky edges. Sebastian began to notice ferns and fungus on the walls, a sure sign of moisture. The air was musky as well, with a hint of saltiness.
The crevice expanded from its initial size, and after about an hour, Sebastian’s flashlight fell upon a small outcropping a few feet wide. They descended onto it for a brief rest, glancing down at the continued darkness past the outcropping. Deep in thought, Sebastian tried to understand the geology of the place. He moved his headlamp and flashlight around, soon finding a large cave-like opening a few feet away.
“I think we should go through that opening,” he said, understanding that the success of their task was very much tied to their strict timetable, leaving no time for wrong decisions. They anchored themselves to the outcropping and unhooked from their ropes before inching over into the new opening.
The opening looked to be about four feet wide and three feet tall, forcing Sebastian and Maria to go through on their hands and knees. Sebastian felt moisture on his fingers, unsure if it was water or just sweat. Forging ahead, they came to large natural cenote, where they heard the unmistakable sound of rushing water.
The cenote was formed in the shape of a vertical cavern and was filled with turbulent water. Waves were crashing in and out, smashing into the walls, swirling in a vortex, then disappearing through an opening—only to reappear with the same violent intensity. “Okay,” he said, “here’s where I leave you and go alone.”
Maria regarded the current. “Sebastian, you’ll be tossed around like a rag doll. I think you shou—”
Not waiting for Maria to finish, Sebastian rappelled toward the water. Maria looked on, annoyed, as he continued to descend. He soon hung inches above the splashing water. He set his stopwatch and timed the flow. Twelve-second intervals.
Sebastian switched his flashlight and headlamp off. Hanging in total darkness, he saw a faint luminescence through the foaming waves, toward a far wall of the cavern. He waited for the torrent to rush out and dropped himself onto the cavern floor with a splash.