by Leo Romero
He slapped another mosquito on his forearm. Trixie then got up and started looking about her left and right like her head was in a constant spin.
She went over to Gus. “All right, all right,” she said to him, slapping the air, her gaze fixed on the smartphone. “We’re here.”
“Finally,” Dom said, stretching his arms.
Gus pulled up. They came to a stop in the middle of the river. Dom looked both ways. It was a clear stretch of water, not another boat in sight. Somewhere high above them, the exotic birds cawed in the lowering light.
Trixie stared at her smartphone in confusion, then at her surroundings. “This is where they took him; this is where he should be!” she stated, pointing down at the deck of the boat with a stern finger. She gazed at them all; Dom shook his head, Alicia looked away; Gus shrugged. Trixie craned her neck forward and stared at the dirty water. Her mouth became an O, her eyes flashing with understanding.
She balled her hand up into a fist. “Troy!” she sneered.
The hot chug of an engine made her spin. From nowhere, a boat was speeding upstream toward them.
Trixie’s eyes widened. “Duck!” she yelled.
Gunfire split the air. Birds now flapped around for their lives. Trixie dived to the deck and hugged it. Dom grabbed Alicia and threw her down with him; she went with a yelp. Rafa fell flat on his nose. The bullets tore into their boat, small pieces of splintered wood erupting into the air.
From the front of the boat, a scream ripped the atmosphere. Dom rolled his head up to catch a horrific glimpse of Gus’ chest explode under the bullets. His arms were spread wide as he juddered under the hail. He then toppled into the river with a splash.
“No! Not Gus!” Dom shrieked. He liked that guy. But, it was too late, Gus was gone.
The boat attacking them glided past at a rapid pace, throwing river water up and over them.
Dom spat the rancid, sour water out of his mouth. “Christ, what do we do now?” he shouted, his face inches from Trixie’s.
“Survive,” Trixie answered.
Dom groaned. He grabbed his crossbow and bolted upright. The attacking boat had shot past them, slamming on the brakes too late. Dom did a quick head count: two in the front, two in the back. The guy steering pointed his way. The one next to him raised his handgun in Dom’s direction. Dom acted on instinct. He raised the crossbow up to his shoulders, caught the guy in his sights, and let rip.
There was a hollow whoop! The skewer cut through the air, hitting its intended target. It slammed into the guy’s chest, sending him staggering back. The backs of his legs hit the edge of the boat and over he went. The others watched on in shock. Dom glared down at the crossbow in awe. “Woah!” he gasped, hardly able to believe what he’d just done. Before it had a chance to sink in, the two guys at the front lifted their submachine guns his way.
“Get this boat moving!” Trixie shouted.
Rafa was already halfway there, squatting over and ambling his way along the boat. He pushed the throttle, and the boat kick-started into life. It shoved forward through the water, just as the thug’s guns burst into life. The sudden movement shook Dom off his feet. He lost his balance and hit the deck on his butt. The foliage way behind where he’d been standing began to dance under the impact of the bullets. Rafa pulled them away from the attacking boat, Gus’ body now floating to the surface between them both. Alicia gave her crucifix a quick kiss as she laid eyes on him lying there dead in the water.
But there wasn’t time for dwelling. They had to get these guys, whoever they were. The thugs spun their boat around and began chasing them down. Gunfire rang through the air. Dom ducked down and peeked over the edge of the boat. The bad guys were in a bigger boat with a much faster engine; they were gaining. Fast. River water sprayed up into his face as he reloaded the crossbow.
“They’re gaining on us!” Trixie shouted, just as the top edge of the boat frame splintered under a bullet.
The thugs were firing off their guns in a haphazard fashion, their boat bobbing up and down under the intense speed. At any time a lucky stray one could land on its intended target. Dom blinked the water out of his eyes and focused on the guy shooting from the front. He went to shoot when the boat went over a wave, throwing his aim off. He growled and got back down to aiming; he caught him in his sights, then fired off a skewer. It sliced through the air toward the boat. He watched with eager eyes as one of the guys in the front caught it in the face. The impact sent him down. Two down, two to go.
The guy at the engine clenched his teeth and pushed down on the throttle. The gap between the boats closed further. The remaining guy in the front watched his buddy fall. A sneer of hate contorted his face. He shrieked in a rage, firing off his gun in wild bursts.
Dom reloaded and got to aiming at him this time. The thug’s wild actions left him exposed. Dom rested the crossbow on the frame of the boat and caught him in his sights. He was about to fire, when a loud roar from behind made him start.
The boat then came to an abrupt stop. Dom fell to the side. Rafa had slammed on the brakes. The enemy boat shot past, and as it did, Rafa aimed his crossbow. With another war cry, he pulled the trigger, catching them by surprise. Dom watched with wide eyes as the skewer sliced into the manic thug’s side before he had a chance to turn their way. Blood erupted from his wound, his gun fell from his hand. He groaned in excruciating agony, his whole body juddering under the strain. He fell forward, collapsing into the water.
Now, there was only one left.
The thug driver put on the brakes.
Rafa got the engine going again and sped up alongside the enemy boat. As he did, Dom took the initiative. Without thinking, he leaped across the water from one boat to the other. He landed on their deck, the bobbing boat messing with his balance. His arms flailed like windmills as he teetered. The driver jumped up and rushed him while he had the chance. He jabbed a fist into Dom’s stomach; Dom doubled over with a groan. The thug reached down and grabbed handfuls of Dom’s tee. He yanked him upright, then planted a headbutt right between Dom’s eyes, making him see stars.
The thug drew his fist back, ready to land a heavy blow. Dom shook off his stars, managing to a catch a glimpse of the fist cutting through the air at the last moment. He twisted his body to the side, avoiding the punch. The thug’s momentum took him forward; he staggered toward the edge of the boat. Dom helped him on his way, hoping to push him over. But, the thug still had a hold of his tee with his free hand.
Dom’s eyes widened. Oh crap!
They both tumbled over the edge of the boat. Dom’s arms thrashed on the air as he went head first into the murky water with a huge splash. Everything went thick, dark. Dirty water shot up his nose and down his throat.
Dom propelled himself up to the surface of the water; his head burst through, his chest heaved as he gasped for breath.
Trixie grabbed the edge of their boat. “Dom!” she shouted.
Dom flapped his arms in a panic. He didn’t like the water, never mind dirty water.
The thug then popped up next to him. He went straight for Dom, grabbing him by the neck. The two began grappling in the water, splashing around like kids.
Rafa aimed his crossbow at them. “Fight him, hombre, then I can shoot!”
Dom struggled against the thug, water splashing into his eyes and mouth. The guy’s snarl stared back at him as he tried to push him under the water. It was a fight to the death.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Trixie watched the fight in the water with concerned eyes. Dom needed to get clear of that thug so Rafa could take him out.
Rafa aimed his crossbow at them both. “I can’t get a clear shot,” he said, his voice laced with frustration.
Trixie thought about jumping in to help. Two fighting against one was better odds. She geared herself up to dive in, when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She flicked her eyes toward the far bank; something there was moving.
Her jaw dropped.
“Dom,” she said, her voice riddled with anxiety, her eyes glued to the bank of the river behind the fighting duo. A crocodile had detected bodies thrashing in the water and had come down to the bank to scan the area; it fixed its stare on Dom and the thug. It then slipped into the water like hot mercury.
“Dom!” Trixie screamed, her eyes flicking from Dom to the crocodile. “Behind you!”
Still grabbing onto one another, Dom and the thug stopped fighting for a moment. They both whipped their heads around to the bank behind them. On spotting the two green-yellow reptilian eyes peeking out just above the surface of the water, their own eyes widened in unison. Once the long snout broke the surface, they spun their heads back around to face each other. They both screamed in one another’s faces before letting go and swimming for their lives. They weren’t concerned with trying to kill each other any longer, now it was a race against the croc.
Trixie’s heart hammered against her ribs. Dom was flapping around like a kid in their first time at the pool, water splashing all over the place. The thug was a better swimmer; he’d already made it halfway to their boat. Meanwhile, behind them, the crocodile glided through the water with the efficiency of an Olympic swimmer.
The thug reached their boat and began waving desperate hands in the air. “Sálvame! Sálvame! Sálvame, señor!” he shouted, looking back over his shoulder.
Trixie flicked her eyes from him to Dom; he was still flapping a couple of meters away. Just behind him, gaining rapidly, were those two green slits for eyes and that menacing snout.
Rafa glared down at the thug, his top lip curled back. He then reached down, grabbed his arm, and hoisted him up onto the boat. He hit the deck with a splat, choking. “Gracias, amigo, gracias!” he blurted.
Rafa stuck his crossbow in the guy’s face and his gratitude stopped dead.
Meanwhile, Trixie and Alicia were hanging over the edge of the boat, urging Dom on. “Come on, Dom!” they shouted in unison. “Swim faster!”
Behind him, the crocodile closed in.
Dom took a quick look back. Those terrifying eyes bored into him as they cut through the water. Dom’s bladder was about to loosen. He began flogging his arms as hard and fast as he could. He was nearly at the boat, but that demonic entity behind him was unrelenting, determined. And hungry.
Dom’s survival instincts were in hyperdrive; he just wanted to stay alive at all costs. He focused on the boat, on the hands of the ladies waiting to lift him up. Just think of those hands all over you, Dom, he told himself. Get to the hands!
He began pumping his arms butterfly style, his heart hammering, his legs flapping. He got to within a foot of the boat. So close, so close. The croc had virtually reached him; he knew it. He swore he could hear the creak of its jaws opening up.
“Come on, Dom! He’s almost got you!” Trixie shouted.
Thanks for the comforting words, Trix!
He made it to the boat and threw his arms skyward. All four of those hands gripped his upper arms and began to pull. He rose from the dreaded water like a salmon. On his way, he took a quick glance over his shoulder; a pink, cavernous mouth greeted him. A whiff of rotten fish hit his nostrils.
Dom pushed up in a mad panic, swinging his legs upward, just as the croc’s jaw came down. There was a hollow snap behind him that reverberated in his mind like a demonic chorus. He screeched in tortured agony as he scrambled into the boat; he crashed down on top of the two girls who fell back under his momentum.
“Did it bite me? Did it bite me?” Dom gibbered, thrashing his arms and legs. “Ha ha! Did it bite me?” He splashed the girls with water, while he continued with his manic laughter.
The girls joined with the laughing, but theirs was borne out of relief.
Alicia crawled over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Dom mellowed. “That was nice,” he said, his face pressed against the deck of the boat.
Trixie then came and also gave him a kiss on the same cheek.
“That was nice too,” Dom said. “My God, I think I’m gonna have a heart attack!”
He took a moment to cool down, then opened his eyes. Man, I’m actually alive. I thought I was croc food for sure.
He hoisted himself to his feet with a groan. He dusted down his soaked through clothes and ran his trembling hands through his wet hair. He peeked over the edge of the boat; the croc was loitering with intent, its eyes and snout just visible above the murky water. It was waiting, just waiting for one of them to get back in the water, and then it was dinner time.
A shiver coursed up Dom’s spine. That was a close one.
He turned to the side; the thug he’d been grappling with was lying on the deck of their boat with a crossbow in his face. Dom puffed out his chest. “Right, now for you.” He went and stood next to Rafa.
“What shall we do with him, amigo?” Rafa asked.
Dom was about to suggest throwing him in the river when Trixie answered first. “Ask him who he is,” she ordered Rafa. “And why he’s trying to kill us.”
Rafa repeated the questions in Spanish.
The thug just shook his head in response, his lips pursed.
“Tell him if he doesn’t answer, he’s gonna have a dinner date with Mr. Croc!” Dom said, pointing at the water.
Rafa shoved the thug’s head over the edge of the boat. “You wanna be the crocodile’s dinner, pendejo?” he growled.
The thug turned his head to the side. The crocodile came gliding over, its looming eyes and snout just visible above the surface of the water. The thug’s eyes bulged in terror. The crocodile opened up its jaws as it drew closer, the pink lining of its mouth now on show.
“Si, si, si!” the thug jabbered. “Sálvame!”
Rafa pulled him back into the boat and the crocodile lowered its upper jaw; it cut off to the right and submerged below the water. The thug panted in relief.
Rafa began pummeling him with questions.
The thug answered in quick time.
“What did he say?” Dom asked.
“He says he helps protect the Unholy Brotherhood,” Alicia answered.
“What’s he doing out here?” Trixie asked.
Rafa asked him.
“He says the Brotherhood are completing a ceremony,” Alicia then informed them. “We are disturbing it.”
“What ceremony?” asked Dom.
Rafa asked the thug.
“La unificación de el Sanguinario y la Madre Impía.”
Rafa went to translate when Trixie stopped him. “I think I got that,” she said. “He’s talking about Troy.”
“Is the temple of Magdalena here? Nearby?” Trixie asked.
Rafa asked the question.
The thug turned his mouth down and gave him a solemn nod. “Si.”
“You take us there,” Dom said to him. “Or we’ll feed you to the croc. Comprender?”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
They turned the boat around and docked at the bank back where Troy’s signal died, away from Mr. Croc. According to their hostage, initiates on the pilgrimage of the Unholy Mother would take a Jeep a kilometer further into the jungle to the final location.
Without such luxury, they’d have to take the last leg of their pilgrimage by foot. They passed through the jungle, part of it cleared presumably by the Unholy Brotherhood in order to get the vehicle up and down from and to the river. As they followed the fresh tire tracks in the mud, Dom watched everything around him like a hawk, the ground for snakes and spiders, the trees for... bats or whatever. The aroma of the dense vegetation, the humidity on the air; it was intoxicating. A macaw released a piercing cry that was akin to manic laughter. Dom’s ears pricked. The jungle was alive. He was just waiting for Predator to jump out at any moment.
Instead, he got flies and mosquitoes. The bastards wanted his blood. He dipped into his pocket, fished out his can of mosquito repellent, and proceeded to lather his arms with it. Some of it got in Trixie’s eyes and mouth; she coughed.
&
nbsp; “That stuff’s strong,” she said, wafting her clammy face.
“It needs to be around here!”
They delved deeper into the jungle, passing beneath canopies of giant trees all jostling for light, brushing by exotic plant life that looked to Dom like something from another freaking planet altogether.
The thug was in the lead, Rafa poking him in the back with the tip of his crossbow. Dom knew he could be leading them into a trap, only time would tell. They followed those tracks deep into the jungle, the humidity stifling. Dom constantly wiped the sweat from his brow, the smell of the river still on him. He was watching everything, stepping nice and slow through the jungle like it was a bed of nails. They walked for around ten minutes before the tracks stopped; the Jeep sat just ahead of them, empty.
They carried on beyond it, the track thinning into a tiny footpath, the surrounding now thickening with exotic foliage. They moved deeper into the jungle for another five-ten minutes, Dom swatting mosquitoes and spraying DEET like it was a religion, the jungle buzzing with activity.
He didn’t know how much more he could take. It was the vacation from Hell. He just wanted to—
The thug came to a sharp stop.
Dom’s heart skipped a beat.
“Que pasa?” Rafa asked the thug.
The thug put a finger to his lips and ducked down behind a bush. He urged them to duck down with him. He then pointed out into the jungle beyond them. Dom squinted his eyes. In the distance was a small entrance to a stone cave. Hanging around outside were other thugs and guys in black robes; they looked like they were waiting for something. Or someone.
Troy, Dom thought to himself. He just knew it.
“What’s going on?” Trixie asked.
Rafa asked the thug. He replied.
“He says they’re waiting for the unification of the Bloodthirsty One and the Unholy Mother,” Alicia told them.
“Is Magdalena in there?” Trixie asked.