The Valley of Tooth & Claw

by Chris McInally

  Minutes slowly ticking by, and still no movement, Kate’s thoughts left that of the mercenary behind and returned to more immediate matters. She began to chew her nails, or rather what was left of them. Next, running clammy palms over the crème-coloured fabric of her khaki pants, she struggled to control her growing unrest. Professor Miller hated waiting. She always had. In fact, Kate had been the impatient type for as long as she could remember; going all the way back to when she was a small child.

  Alongside the restless geographer, there were three others riding in the vehicle, and it was glaringly obvious that some individuals were more impatient than others. Kate could at least take some solace in the fact that she wasn’t the worst in the bunch.

  Seated to Kate’s left was one of Slaine Industries’ many Private Military Contractors (more commonly referred to as PMCs, for short) accompanying them on this expedition; all of whom were under the aforementioned Campbell’s command. Propped between the man’s knees was a matt-black assault rifle. A Colt AR-15 if Kate wasn’t mistaken (if anyone knew their firearms it was Texans). The man’s name was Trevon Latham. Like the majority of the other PMCs she had encountered thus far, Trevon was well-built with broad shoulders and a matching chest, along with a close-cropped head of hair and an almost cartoonish square jaw. Besides a Kevlar vest, flung over a tight-fitting black muscle-top, the PMC wore camouflaged cargo pants and heavy-duty hiking boots. In stark contrast to Kate’s own, the man’s skin was a solid shade of ebony. Indeed, it was whilst admiring his complexion a short time before, Kate clocked his United States Marine Corps tattoo positioned on the inside of a decidedly thick forearm. Just like Campbell and Latham, Miller imagined all the other PMCs were ex-military, in some form or fashion.

  Ahead of Kate, in the front passenger seat, sat Gregory Trentham, his legs jittering anxiously. He was another PhD hired by Slaine Industries to consult for them on this project. Unlike Miller, Professor Trentham’s doctorate was in conservation biology. The man’s area of expertise was something around endangered species. She couldn’t remember exactly how Trentham had put it to her, but that was the gist of it. As for Professor Trentham, it was his job to ensure that no endangered species would be impacted by the clearing of land. Considering the scale of the operation, and the degree of deforestation that needed to take place in order to accommodate it, Kate wasn’t holding her breath on that last one. Silently, she wondered if Greg was having the same crisis of conscience as she was. Miller had to remind herself though that some people don’t necessarily have consciences to bother them. Still, she couldn’t say for sure Trentham was one such person.

  Gregory was an odd-looking fellow (at least in Kate’s opinion) with his poignant chin and hooked nose. His eyes, a rather haunting shade of grey, were quite small too, perched behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. As far as Miller could tell, Greg was at least twenty (if not closer to thirty) years her senior, the man’s dry skin noticeably weathered and strewn with wrinkly tracts. Moreover, Kate could only assume her new colleague was bald, as she was yet to see him without his trademark wide-brimmed, Indiana Jones-style hat.

  Lastly, lounging huffily behind the steering wheel, with her elbow resting on the SUV’s window ledge, was Sienna Clementine. In her day job, Ms. Clementine was Executive Assistant to Daniel Slaine himself (who was not only the current CEO, but grandson to the company’s founder). Sienna’s growing sense of impatience was much more recognizable than either Kate or Greg’s. Indeed, the woman was rapping her spindly, spider leg-like fingers against the steering wheel. On top of this, chewing her thin ruby-coloured lips, Sienna fidgeted intermittently in her seat. A petite woman if ever there was one, the driver’s seat virtually swallowed the twenty-six-year-old Cornell graduate.

  “C’mon,” the woman growled, running a hand through her perfectly straightened head of long, blonde hair. “What’s taking so long?”

  Kate was actually amazed at how much effort the young woman had put into her appearance. Considering the grimy job they were undertaking it seemed a little pointless. Still, to each their own, she supposed.

  “I’m sure everything’s fine,” Kate spoke up, taking it upon herself to reassure Clementine. “Campbell seems like he knows what he’s doing.”

  “Oh, he does, does he?” the pixy-sized woman swiveled unexpectedly in her seat. “Got a bit of a wet spot for old Elias, do we?” Sienna faced Professor Miller. Her accompanying grin was far from mischievous. In fact, it was down-right vicious.

  You malignant little shit! a voice screamed in Kate’s head.

  For a moment she thought she was back in high school. Taken aback, Kate didn’t respond to Sienna’s outburst. Instead, Miller found she could only stare back at Ms. Clementine, the geographer’s bottom jaw sagging a little from the shock of what Clementine had just said. Not to mention she was blown away by the fierceness of the younger woman’s challenge.

  Meanwhile, Professor Trentham shifted in his seat, the man clearly uncomfortable with Ms. Clementine’s behavior. Yet, for whatever reason, he wasn’t prepared to call her on it. Maybe it had something to do with the fact she represented the company responsible for paying his wage. Or maybe he was just chickenshit.

  For her part, Ms. Clementine coolly appraised Professor Miller with those strange hybrid emerald-azure eyes of hers. The young blonde clearly had a confidence that belied her age, and not to mention her size. It was quite obvious she was trying to intimidate Miller. But why? In the fraction of a second it took Kate to weigh it all up, she could only assume it had something to do with Kate’s role on the team.

  She feels threatened, Miller surmised inwardly.

  “Professor Miller is correct,” Latham the PMC interjected. “Elias is more than capable of handling this kind of situation. We’ve worked a dozen assignments together. More than likely, all these assholes want are bribes.”

  Latham quickly shot Kate a warm, reassuring smile to show he was on her side. Consequently, Sienna’s blue-green orbs flicked in the man’s direction. Although, unlike she did with Kate, Sienna didn’t say anything to Latham. Rather, Ms. Clementine appeared to be looking through him, obviously angry at his willingness to agree with Professor Miller.

  Kate on the other hand observed their Mexican standoff, still utterly dumbfounded by the woman’s unprofessional behavior. It was at this point she remembered Trentham mentioning Clementine’s venomous nature to her during their brief stay at the hotel in Iquitos. Still, this was Kate’s first time experiencing it for herself. No that wasn’t right. She had experienced it before, albeit in a much more subtle way. Indeed, it had come in the form of icy stares and cold shoulders during the handful of discussions Professor Miller had with Daniel Slaine, also in Iquitos. The wine flowed freely that night at the hotel and as such Kate’s memory was a little hazy, but she remembered those hard-set eyes of Clementine’s, blue and green, boring into her whenever Mr. Slaine got close or Kate managed to pique his interest.

  Whatever Clementine’s problem was, real or imagined, Miller wasn’t the type to take shit from anyone. Then and there, the professor made a mental note to check the young executive, should she cross the line with her again.

  Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…

  Shifting her gaze from the PMC and Clementine, Miller returned her line of sight to the waiting jungle only for her to jump almost out of her skin!

  “Holy shit!” she cursed.

  A figure, tall and dark and menacing, stared back at Miller from beyond the tinted glass, his eyes narrowed and expression brooding. Kate’s instinct was to shrink from him, the woman taken off-guard by his decidedly ominous presence. Within a matter of seconds however, the professor realized she was looking at a soldier. It was one of the Peruvians, she gathered. His dull green fatigues, mottled with specks of black and brown, quickly came into view, as did the compact sub-machinegun held tight across his husky chest.

  Then, as suddenly as he had appeared, the soldier was gone. After what was the briefest of in
spections the serviceman simply moved on, heading towards the next vehicle in their small convoy of five, presumably to perform the same kind of perfunctory inspection.

  “Creep,” Miller spat as she watched him recede into the foreground.

  Still somewhat on edge, Professor Miller’s attention was unexpectedly redirected again, this time by a peculiar buzzing sound emanating from off to her left. A little disorientated, she twisted in her seat. The brunette caught her group’s bodyguard cupping his ear.

  “Roger that,” the big man said, before dropping his hand away.

  “What’s happening?” Professor Miller asked.

  “Buckle up, nerds,” Latham smiled widely, showing off perfectly straight and white teeth. “Campbell has sealed the deal. Looks like we’re crossing the border.”

  “Finally,” Sienna grunted, making to put the truck into gear.

  In less than ten seconds, the entire caravan of matt black Suburbans was off and rolling down the mountainside, their huge tires kicking up fine clouds of dust. Before long, they would cross over into Brazil. No turning back now, their expedition was officially underway.

  CHAPTER 2

  Flanked left and right by dense swathes of jungle, the convoy of Chevrolet Suburbans snaked deeper into the rainforest. Moving in single file, the fleet traversed what could really only be described as a crude, wending thoroughfare; the passageway cleaving rather haphazardly through the valley’s otherwise uniform interior.

  For the passengers inside, the emerald arras flew past in quick succession, its more intimate features reduced to something just shy of a blur. This view had been the norm for hours now. That being said, the occasional shaft of sunlight managed to pierce the rainforest’s tightly woven canopy. Still, for the most part, the world beyond the cavalcade remained a claustrophobic panorama of jade; the jungle seemingly refusing to divulge its secrets to the interlopers.

  #

  Professor Miller’s SUV rose and fell as it continued to navigate the uneven terrain. Its rhythm slightly staggered, the heavy-bodied vehicle jerked and bounced. Miller rightly suspected this had more to do with the region’s hilly topography than it did Clementine’s driving. Yet, despite the undulating landscape, the ride was actually smoother than the professor had originally anticipated.

  It was as she felt her body shifting with the Suburban’s jagged movements, Kate remembered an earlier (and much more pleasant) conversation with Sienna. During the expedition briefing, the latter woman had explained to professors Miller and Trentham how an advance team of laborers (or ‘clearing crew’ as Clementine called them) was sent ahead about a month before. Accompanied by their own smaller complement of PMCs, it was their job to clear a path that would take the main expedition deep into Javari Valley and to the proposed ranch site. By all accounts, the advance team had done their job well. Without the aforementioned workers it would have taken Miller and her team weeks just to reach the expedition site.

  Swaying a little, Kate felt herself growing tired, the sensation of the vehicle’s rocking sending her to sleep. The woman vaguely remembered falling into a light slumber at some point earlier in the journey. As to how long she had slept for, the professor couldn’t be sure. By now everything was rolling together into a blur of sorts. And whilst this little nap had helped Kate recharge her batteries, the journey was taking its toll on the academic in other ways.

  In the face of the many miles she and her colleagues had crisscrossed, things were beginning to feel a little stagnant inside the Chevrolet. Indeed, Professor Miller’s legs were growing stiff from a lack of stimulation. On top of this, a layer of sweat covered Kate’s body; the liquid dribbling from her pores. She just hoped she didn’t smell too bad. Then again, the others were probably in much the same condition as she was.

  Casting a groggy glance over at Greg, Kate noted the biologist was currently mid-slumber himself. Like her, he was decked out in an assortment of pale khaki apparel, except that he had swapped out his pants for a pair of shorts. In Kate’s opinion, dressed as he was, the man had the air of a grandfather about him. On that note, Professor Miller just hoped she didn’t look like a grandmother. Still focused on Gregory, Kate hunched forward a little. Peering into the front portion of the cabin, her eyes travelled to Trentham’s stick-thin legs. Noting the grey wisps of hair and veiny tracts under the wan skin, Miller felt her lips curl involuntarily.

  “Eeewww,” she mouthed, unable to help it.

  If someone had been watching, this would have been the first clue that the woman’s boredom was returning. Kate was desperately searching out something to keep her attention. Ultimately, she needed mental stimulation about as much as the physical kind. Although Professor Miller didn’t realize it herself, she was beginning to go stir crazy.

  Kate examined Trentham’s beloved hat next. Cautiously, she stretched out a hand, reaching for the item. For whatever reason, the geographer suddenly decided she wanted to know if he was in fact bald. Not that it really mattered at all. Kate supposed it was simply just a way of relieving the monotony of the ride. PhD or not, at heart the woman was very much still a big kid.

  Fingers centimeters from the back of the man’s head now, Greg’s voice suddenly sounded. “Don’t even think about it!” he told her, his tenor gravelly and a little annoyed.

  “You people are no fun!” Miller fell back into her seat, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Any of you,” she added rather frumpily.

  Averting her gaze, Kate proceeded to investigate the remainder of the cabin. Trevon was asleep (or at least trying to sleep) as well, the PMC’s head arched awkwardly against his seat’s headrest, which meant the man’s Adam’s apple was poignantly displayed. Up front with Professor Trentham’s grumpy ass, Sienna worked the steering wheel left and right, preoccupied by the labors of her task. To be honest the young woman’s level of concentration was admirable. It certainly put the others to shame, Professor Miller included. Then again, perhaps just having something to do was all it took to relieve the boredom of the ride.

  It hit Kate then that her group had been sitting in almost total silence for some time. Virtually the entire journey, in fact. At least with Trevon and Greg both being something close to unconscious, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. The same couldn’t be said for the quiet between her and Sienna, however. A tension clearly existed there. There was no doubt about it. Somehow, they had got off on the wrong foot. Although, Kate couldn’t quite put her finger on the reason for it. Perhaps it came from the fact that they were the only two women on the whole expedition. Kate wondered to herself if the pair were playing out some kind of deep-seated, primally-ordained sexual rivalry.

  No, it can’t be that. It’s not like they were freshmen in college. They were both professionals and above that. Surely?

  “How long have you worked for Mr. Slaine?” Kate decided she needed to break the silence, if only to stay awake for the remainder of the trip. The last thing the geographer wanted was to be groggy when they arrived at the proposed ranch site. She needed to be on her A-game for that.

  “Huh?” Sienna grunted ignorantly in reply.

  Kate repeated the question, making sure not to mask her annoyance at Sienna’s continuing lack of manners towards her. If truth be told, the professor found the executive to be a very boorish woman. Needless to say, Kate’s patience was wearing thin with her.

  “Eighteen months,” Ms. Clementine answered, hunching forward in her seat, “give or take.”

  “Do you enjoy working for Daniel?” Kate went on.

  “Yes,” Sienna replied pointedly, “I enjoy working for Mr. Slaine.” The woman made sure to stress her employer’s title.

  Talk about touchy, Kate thought to herself. I wonder if she’s sleeping with him.

  “Oh shit!” Clementine barked out of the blue.

  All four of the vehicle’s tires locked up as one. At the same time, sprays of dust and other debris funneled out from under the truck’s high, black wheel-arches. Whereas inside the
SUV, Kate’s upper body jerked painfully, the Suburban skidding to a frightening and unexpected halt.

  Sienna must have pumped the brakes… Kate decided quickly.

  “Nice driving,” Latham smirked sarcastically, clearly awake now.

  Kate spied the merc holding onto the back of Clementine’s seat with one hand in an attempt to steady himself. As for Sienna, she didn’t respond to the bodyguard’s sardonic remark.

  “Have we arrived?” Professor Trentham enquired. The older man’s eyes were a little glazed, a look of confusion etched on his bleary features.

  “This can’t be right,” Sienna answered, her voice a grumble. “We’re still a little under two hours from the site.”

  “I wonder what it could be,” Kate’s voice on the other hand was soft, and not to mention a little nervous.

  Off to Kate’s left, Trevon jerked a hand to his ear.

  “Roger that,” Latham said aloud, before dropping his hand away.

  “What is it?” Kate asked before the others had a chance to do it themselves.

  “There’s an obstruction,” Trevon told them, his dark eyes shifting from person to person.

  “Obstruction?” Sienna twisted in the driver’s seat, looking for a more in-depth explanation.

  “Something is blocking the road,” Trevon said coolly, the corners of his mouth twitching into a devilish smirk.

  Sienna looked at the dark-skinned man as if to say, ‘Well, no shit, Sherlock!’

  “Blocked?” Trentham added his voice. “By what?”

  “Let’s find out,” Kate chirped, reaching for the door handle.

  CHAPTER 3

  Exiting her group’s vehicle, the humidity hit Kate like a slap in the face. For a second or two the woman even found it difficult to breathe, her lungs struggling with the moist and seemingly heavy air. Thankfully though, it didn’t take them long to adjust to the challenging atmosphere.