Death in the Congo: Book 5 in the Dan Stone series

by David Nees

  *

  After reaching the river bank in Donga, Dan and the NGO staff unloaded the dugouts. The boatmen went to look for gasoline. Dan told Santu go with them to pay for the fuel. He gave Santu some Congolese Francs.

  “Give each of the boatmen 50,000 Francs for their work…in addition to buying their fuel. We’ll meet you back at the park office.”

  The rest made their way back up to the headquarters building. They piled into the office and pushed past the surprised receptionist. Martin Tambwe, the park supervisor, stood up as Dan and the hostages entered his office.

  “Mon Dieu!” he exclaimed. “You found them.”

  Everyone crowded around, clapping each another on the back and shaking hands. Martin was trying to hug everyone. While this reception was going on, Dan noticed Muko and the other tracker headed out of a back door to go into their compound. They would have their own reunion with their families.

  “We must call the authorities, they can call off the search,” Martin said.

  Dan shook his head. “Non, non. You will not do that. You will do just as I say.” His voice held a note of threat that caused Martin to sit back down at his desk, as if to protect himself.

  “Has the army started searching?” Dan asked.

  Martin shook his head. “They are still arranging for transportation while arguing that the UN should do the job.”

  “So, no one’s arrived here yet?”

  Again, Martin shook his head.

  “Bon. We will leave it as it is. You will let these people rest here tonight. Tomorrow you will get vehicles ready and we will all drive to Goma. Once there, they can arrange their flights home.”

  “But what do I tell the authorities?”

  “When we’re gone, you can tell them the hostages were released.”

  “They will not believe that. Mputu would not release them without receiving something in return.”

  Dan thought for a moment. “Tell them that an unknown group, maybe Congolese commandos, got them released and sent them to Donga. You didn’t meet them, so you don’t know who was responsible.”

  Dan turned to Reichard and the others.

  “We got you free. Now you must shield us. You don’t know who the men were that freed you. Tell everyone they were mixed blacks and whites and they spoke French. They didn’t identify themselves. Let everyone assume they were professional soldiers of fortune. All the hostages’ governments will assume that one of the other countries had organized the capture and don’t want to admit it because the men are still active in the Congo. That will keep them guessing.”

  He nodded to Yvette. “Go over this with everyone. It’s important. You must get them to tell the same story.”

  Yvette herded the group into a corner where a lengthy discussion in French, with occasional English, ensued. The group went back and forth, working on the details until they seemed to come to an agreement.

  Yvette came back over to Dan. “We have a good story. Essentially, the one you suggested. But it won’t hold up after we get back to our homes. They will tell their families the truth and local news will want to interview them.”

  “It’s the best you can do. Go back and tell them that saying we are Americans can endanger our lives. You all owe us that, at least. Think about Roland.”

  A look of pain crossed Yvette’s face, followed by an expression of serious determination. She went back to the group and forcefully spoke to them.

  She called back to Dan, “How about English? Can you be English?”

  “Oui. That works.”

  Dan turned back to Martin. “Did you understand what was said?”

  The man nodded.

  “You must hold the same line, only you can plead that you know little since you weren’t there. But no Americans were involved.” Dan pointed a finger into the man’s chest. “We have saved you from a disaster. You would have lost your job if these people had been harmed. Now you can play the hero, but if I hear any news of Americans, I will come back to Donga to deal with you. You understand me?”

  Martin nodded as Dan stood towering over his chair.

  “Now get this group something to eat. We can’t go outside. After that, get the cars ready. We won’t remain a secret for long and I want to depart early in the morning before any nosey Congolese gendarme comes by.”

  Martin spoke to the receptionist. The young man wrote down a list and left to get some food for everyone. Santu came in as the man was leaving.

  “Did you take care of everything?” Dan asked.

  Santu nodded. “The men were happy with the money. I think they went to buy some booze and then get back on the water. They didn’t want to stay long here.” He looked at Dan with some concern on his face. “I think they believe Mputu will come here to reclaim the captives. I don’t think we are safe yet.”

  “Probably right,” Dan said.

  After getting something to eat and getting the vehicles gassed up, the group settled down in the supervisor’s office. Dan sat in a chair next to Martin.

  “I want to pay Muko and the other trackers for their help,” Dan said to Martin.

  “They don’t think much of money,” Martin replied. “These are not educated people.”

  “They may not be educated, but they are skilled…and brave. They took risks I’m not sure you would take. Without their help, we would never have found your volunteers and you would have been a marked man, your career ended.”

  “I will take care of them, give me some money and I will see that they get extra food for their families, smokes, and maybe some new shoes.”

  Dan looked at Martin. He understood, from discussions with Santu, the attitudes towards pygmies. They were a group that had no advocates. Their tribal connections did not provide them any power in the cities or in the world of government and its rules. They were at home in the forest and thrived if left alone.

  Still, he thought, civilization was here. The DRC was going to be a modern state, even with the tension between western thinking and the older, tribal and magical thinking. This group of people needed to find a way into the modern world. Could it be done without leaving behind all the skills they had come to possess over millennia? He shook his head. He didn’t know.

  “Martin. I won’t give you money. You will keep most of it and give them a pittance. I will give the money to Muko to divide with his men as he sees fit. You may own or control him, but I will pay him directly.”

  He leaned over to Martin. “I am not a man to be deceived. I went into the forest, me, a white man, and came out with the hostages. I did this before the army could even organize itself to attempt a rescue. Not only that, I attacked a rebel warlord and his camp. He is now weaker than before.”

  He stared into Martin’s face. “Look at me and don’t think that you can be clever. If I give Muko payment, you will not take it. If I hear of this or hear about Americans rescuing the hostages, I will come for you…in the night. I will snatch the life out of you and leave your spirit wandering the forest, lost. I have that power and am protected by a powerful sorcerer.”

  Martin’s eyes got wide. Dan held him in his gaze, not letting him turn away.

  “Talk to Santu if you don’t believe me. He’s a thoroughly modern Congolese, but he’s seen. He knows.”

  Then he got up and walked away. He took a wad of Congolese Francs from his pack and grabbed Santu. They went out the back door.

  “Give Muko 300,000 Francs for him and his men.” He stuffed a handful of bills into Santu’s hand.

  “This is a small fortune. It is too much. They will not know what to do with it.”

  “How much was it worth to save your life? Without Muko, we’d be lost in the jungle or dead now.”

  “But they don’t want possessions like others do. There is nothing for them to buy.”

  “Try pots and pans to send back to their villages if they don’t need them here. Try malaria medicine, shoes. There are lots of things they can use. Even if they remain bound to Martin.�
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  “How will they know what to spend? The merchants will cheat them.”

  “Maybe. Maybe Martin will help them make good purchases.”

  “Dan, you wish more than you can hope for. This will wind up in Martin’s pocket.”

  Dan knew his frustration showed. He could leave Santu here to monitor purchases, but that would mean the authorities would reach him and want to talk to him. Dan couldn’t leave Santu to that fate.

  “Go now and buy some malaria medicine with the money. Give that to Muko with instructions on how to take it. I’ll convince Martin to purchase some clothes and pots and pans. That’s the best we can do.”

  Chapter 50

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  M arcus and Roland relaxed after an hour with no pursuit. That didn’t mean there was none, but at least it was not an imminent threat. They passed three dugouts motoring upriver. The boatmen all called out back and forth. Clearly, they knew each other.

  An hour later Donga appeared ahead. With the forest cut back, the two and three-story buildings stood out against the bare river bank. The boatman drove them up onto the muddy shore and the two men got out. Marcus shoved some Congolese Francs into the boatman’s hand and the three took off for the park headquarters.

  They came through the main door and heard people inside the inner office. Marcus opened the office door and they stepped inside. Conversation stopped. The two men stood there, muddy, hair matted, clothes damp with sweat, faces covered in shaggy, unkempt beards.

  Yvette shrieked and ran to Roland. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his large frame. He held her easily as they hugged each other.

  Dan got up and went to Marcus.

  “Do I get a hug?” Marcus asked.

  “I guess so, but you know I’m risking catching some awful disease,” Dan responded as he grabbed the man around his shoulders.

  “Just don’t jump up and try to wrap your legs around me,” Marcus said.

  “You did it. Good job. I’m glad to see you back.”

  “We did indeed. Our tracker was able to follow your trail, even when you changed direction. We ambushed the rebels three times. Seriously depleted their ranks. Then we just moved fast. We needed separation in order to be able to get on the river.”

  The two men stood back from one another. Dan held Marcus by the shoulders.

  “You’re a mess,” he said.

  “You aren’t much to look at either.” Marcus turned to Yvette who was still tightly wrapped in Roland’s arms. “Careful, Yvette. You might catch something. He hasn’t been disinfected yet.”

  “Fuck off,” Roland said. “This is the best I’ve felt in a long time.”

  Finally, Yvette let go of Roland, but stayed close to his side. The others came up to shake the men’s hands. Even Martin got into the action, congratulating the men even though he had no idea what role they had played or why they were separated from the main group.

  “What the hell did you say to the Chief?” Marcus asked when they were sitting down.

  Martin brought extra chairs into his office. He seemed to resign himself to the fact that his space was now the reunion room and probably the sleeping area for the group. Dan wanted the group to remain hidden, so the outer office was off limits.

  “It was Santu,” Dan replied. “He played me up to the chief. I’m Daniel Mlezi, a powerful shaman who can turn into a forest spirit.”

  “Mlezi?” Marcus asked.

  “I asked him. It’s a Congolese name that means, ‘guardian’. He told the chief there were two warriors following, empowered by me. I think he frightened the chief. I figured when you two showed up you’d look pretty wild so that would play into the description he gave.”

  “Santu, you devil, Marcus said. “You played your part well. That chief was so happy to get us on our way. He must have told the boatman he would flog him within an inch of his life if he didn’t take us right away. We went full throttle the entire way. Probably why we weren’t too far behind you.”

  Roland looked over at Dan. Yvette sat in his lap. She was not going to let go of him. “We took some fire when we passed the village where we started from. That’s only two hours upstream if you go fast.”

  “They might try to follow,” Marcus said.

  “They’ll probably wait for Mputu,” Dan said. “We found out he’s the commander. He’s got the strongest rebel group next to the ADF. He’s the one who followed us, so he’ll wind up at the same village where we got on the river.”

  “There’s not enough boats left there for him to bring a force downriver,” Marcus said.

  “There will be soon,” Roland said. “Our boy is going to beat feet back upriver right away. We saw your three canoes just after we passed the village. They could be at their village this evening.”

  Dan frowned.

  “They get back, Mputu arrives. If he doesn’t wipe out the village, he’ll know where we went. He could follow and be here tomorrow.” He turned to Martin. “Would someone like Mputu come here?”

  “We have no soldiers to protect us. Just a few policemen. He would not be afraid to come here…what could we do?”

  Dan turned back to Marcus and Roland. “We better leave tonight. We’re not safe and this group’s not safe until we get to Goma.”

  He turned back to Martin. Santu will help you. Are the cars ready to go?”

  Martin nodded.

  Dan called out to the group. “We’re going, now, tonight. Collect your things. We go into three cars. One of us will ride in each of the cars.”

  He turned back to Martin.

  “Call the hotel in Goma. The one the group stayed in before. Make reservations. The group can coordinate their trips home from there.”

  The group gathered their gear and piled into the three vehicles. Yvette climbed into the driver’s seat of the same car Roland was in. Reichard drove the other car. The group waited for Santu to return from his shopping. Once Santu came back and delivered the medicine to Muko, he climbed into the driver’s seat of the Toyota. Dan had some last words with Martin. They were about goods for Muko and his men along with a stern reminder that no Americans had been involved in the rescue.

  After that, the group took off, with Santu in the lead.

  The drive back to Goma was long. In the dark, the pace was slower to avoid getting stuck in large mud bogs. Three times the convoy had to stop to push one of the SUVs free. When daylight came the pace increased. They passed checkpoints with the cover of the NGO staff who worked in the national forest. The presence of three hard-looking, armed men only helped get them through.

  Along the way, Dan called Jane on the satellite phone.

  “Where have you been?” she asked when she answered. They were on an encrypted connection.

  “You heard about the volunteers who were captured in the Congo?”

  “Yes. People are still trying to raise the ransom. There’s been no contact with the captors for a number of days.”

  “They don’t need to get any money together. We rescued them.”

  “You rescued them? Who gave you that assignment?”

  “Without trying to be funny, you could say love gave me the assignment.”

  “What the hell are you talking about. That wasn’t part of your mission.”

  Dan explained about Roland’s affair with Yvette and how he had insisted they do something about the abduction. “We seriously degraded Mputu’s capabilities as a result, so it wasn’t without some tactical benefit.”

  “That doesn’t excuse the side mission. This isn’t acceptable. You’ve been out of communication for five days while events were developing. I expected you to have completed your mission by now.”

  “That’s next. You know I’ll complete it. I’ve scouted the site and am ready to proceed.”

  “There’s been some new developments. I’m having a meeting with Henry and his boss, Roger, tomorrow. I’ll fill you in after.”

  “The mission changing?”


  “Not sure. It could be expanding. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t complete the mission yet…I mean if it’s going to expand.”

  There was silence on Jane’s end.

  “Maybe, but you’re still not forgiven. Don’t run off on any other side mission without informing me. It’s not good tradecraft.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Dan ended the call.

  Santu gave him a questioning look.

  Sixteen hours later, the group pulled into the hotel where the NGO staff had stayed only two weeks earlier. They checked in with an astonished clerk who looked at their dirty, tattered appearance and wondered what had happened to the group.

  After a final admonishment to keep their identities secret, Dan and his team started for the door. Yvette grabbed Roland.

  “I want to stay with you.”

  Roland stopped and looked at her in surprise.

  “But…you have to call your parents. Let them know you’re safe. They’re going to want you to come home.”

  “I’ll call them. But I don’t want to go home. I told you before that would be boring. And now I don’t want to leave you.”

  Chapter 51

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  J ane and Henry sat in Roger’s office. It was early in the morning. Roger had specifically told them to meet him at 6 am. Jane suspected that he didn’t want anyone to see her and Henry up on the third floor. It was a place she didn’t go regularly. She had to admit to herself that she felt more comfortable in her basement. Her basement. Jane smiled at the thought. But whatever had triggered this meeting must be important…and it must be something that had to be handled “off the books” so to speak. That was the only reason their operation existed.

  “Remember my meeting with Roger? About the latest China issue?”

  Jane nodded and waited.

  “Roger says we have to go into action,” Henry continued.

  Jane turned her attention to Roger. “Tell me what’s up.”