Escaping Extinction - The Extinction Series Book 5: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series

by Tara Ellis

  Stopping at the end of the procession, Davies opened his hands wide. “Welcome to the Libi Nati. You’ve arrived at the most opportune time, I must say.”

  He wasn’t smiling, though his pleasure at her arrival was still adequately conveyed. The man was a few years younger than Madeline, though between the glasses and peppered hair that was being allowed to grow out along with his beard, he could have been older.

  Davies gestured to the men and women who were still standing obediently between them. “Our friends here are just back from the Libi Nati, where they’ve collected the latest samples for our…joint endeavor.”

  Madeline blinked, assessing the new information. “Latest samples? Is there something that makes these different from the others?”

  Taking a step toward Madeline, Davies took one of the jars before waving The Cured away. He then guided her by the shoulder to an open sitting area full of comfortable furniture made for lounging guests sipping at drinks with umbrellas.

  They sat facing each other and Davies placed the jar on the wooden table between them. “The hot spring erupted into a geyser again yesterday.”

  Madeline leaned forward. “And you believe it contains another novel version of the thermophile?” she asked, immediately grasping the implication.

  Nodding, Davies gestured to the water on the table. “Yet another chance to expand the potential of our new race. To help ensure our species moves into this new era as it is meant to.”

  It was a struggle for Madeline not to allow her true reaction to be reflected. While her emotions were clearly muted, she’d come to accept that they still existed. For her, it would seem, more than the other Cured she’d met. She hadn’t determined the cause for the variance, but she was determined to ferret it out. And rectify it.

  She didn’t ascribe to the same ordained ego-driven doctrine that Davies was submerged in, but it didn’t matter. Ultimately, their goals were the same so Madeline could care less how they arrived there. A new vector could be just what the doctor ordered.

  She reached for the jar.

  Davies reflexes were catlike as he snatched her by the wrist, stopping Madeline’s hand mid-air. “There are some…anomalies with it that I’d rather we allow to play out before experimenting with it ourselves.”

  “Anomalies?” she repeated.

  Davies eyes narrowed and he released her hand. “There’s already a rather high success rate of new infections in some of the Immune from town, but a few of our Cured have shown unexpected side-effects from the disease’s progression.”

  Raising a hand and making a simple motion in the air, the good doctor had a man scurrying to his side. “Bring Kavish and Dr. Chase to me.”

  Madeline continued to stare at him, waiting for an answer.

  “It’s a bit outside my expertise,” Davies offered. “But I happen to have a neurologist in our midst now, and he’s provided a rather compelling argument that the prions have reached a new area of the brain in those subjects. One that pertains to the more primitive pathways, such as aggression. It’s all tied in to our drive for survival, and natural instincts.”

  “The hindbrain and medulla,” a man said as he entered the lounge. He looked to be in his mid-forties and was rather dashing, if not rugged and a little beat up. “I’m Dr. Edward Chase.” He didn’t offer a hand to Madeline, and remained standing beyond their reach, next to an indigenous man who trailed behind him. Three of The Cured appeared to be escorting them and hovered nearby.

  Madeline raised an eyebrow. “You sound American.”

  “I am.” Edward cocked his head at her. “And you are the infamous Doctor Madeline Schaefer. We thought you were dead.”

  Intrigued, Madeline turned back to Davies. “Someone I should know?”

  Davies pointed at the doctor. “No, but I do believe you have some mutual acquaintances. I had the opportunity to speak with Peta Kelly yesterday. At my old home at the preserve, as well as here today. And I now suspect she and Dr. Chase here aren’t alone.” He stared at Edward. “Though for reasons still unknown to me, I believe my new friend here isn’t being completely forthcoming.”

  Madeline sat back, taking it all in. Peta. There, at the Libi Nati.

  Unsure of how she felt, Madeline sifted through the new information. She could care less about Edward. “Where is she now?”

  “Oh, not here,” Davies said, standing. “She would have us believe she’s on her way back to the States, but something I found on Mr. Kavish tells me otherwise.”

  Madeline looked at the beaten indigenous man before staring up at Davies. “Must we play word games, Dr. Davies? I’ve come a long way and if we could simply get to the point of it all, I’d like to get settled.”

  “I’m afraid you aren’t going to get much of a rest,” Davies said. Pulling a paper from his back pocket, he waved it at Kavish. “Kavish here was in my employ for several years at the preserve, and also happens to be the cousin of my nanny and housekeeper of fourteen years. Both belong to the Lokono tribe, and chose to stay behind out of a misplaced dedication to the girl I raised as my daughter.”

  Madeline’s interest perked up at the mention of the Lokono. “This is the tribe with the group immunity that you told me about?”

  “Yes,” Davies confirmed. “We believe Kavish was intercepted on his way back from the ancient site. The one which they all withdrew to when this first started, out of fear that their prophecy was coming true. I suspect he was about to lead Peta and the others there, from the preserve. It would seem your previous protégé is still on a mission to stop the Kra Puru from being fulfilled.”

  As he spoke, several Cured filed into the front entry, dressed in hiking gear and carrying backpacks. Most were armed with rifles.

  Madeline was fighting against a growing sense of epiphany. She and Peta were both there, at the same time, going after the same thing in part because of the trail she had left for Peta. She wasn’t sure if the woman was an enigma, or a fly that wouldn’t go away and badly needed to be swatted.

  “Why do you care what they’re doing?” Madeline asked, ignoring the conflicting reactions raging through her weary mind. “I was under the assumption that you have what we need right here. Trust me when I say there isn’t enough left of the world out there to matter. Nothing Peta could do with a lost tribe of the Amazon will make a difference.”

  Davies turned to her then, and for the first time Madeline saw the level of madness buried beneath the thin veil of detachment he portrayed. “That is where you have a lot to learn about the Amazon, Dr. Schaefer. But not to worry. I will teach you.”

  Chapter 26

  JASON

  Amazon Jungle near Kumalu, Suriname

  Jason fell to his hands and knees with a grunt. He immediately flung himself onto his back in an attempt to dislodge whatever the hell had attached itself to his shoulders.

  “Ugh!”

  As the furry, rodent-sized creature squealed and ran across his chest, Jason sprang back into a crouch while drawing his knife. He was ready if it tried for a second round. If it had been bigger, he would have opted for the gun, but the last thing he wanted to do was give their location away. They had no idea if Davies people were out there somewhere.

  The impact of the animal dropping on him hadn’t knocked Jason down, it was one of the countless roots that ran across the jungle floor that tripped him up. So as whatever it was scurried away into the underbrush, he rose back to his feet and rolled his shoulders, confirming he didn’t have any injuries.

  Feeling somewhat sheepish, Jason sheathed the knife and took stock. He’d been on his way from relieving himself and wasn’t far from the group. Being deep in the Amazon jungle at night was unlike anything Jason had ever experienced before. Jess continued to insist that the sounds were “off”, but since he had nothing to compare it to, it all seemed like a constant din that he could feel as well as hear.

  The low-level droning of insects was underscored periodically by the screech of an exotic bird or some ot
her unidentifiable animal. And as the sun had lowered and the shadowy spaces beneath the canopy turned dark, the sounds also shifted. Jason figured it was partly due to his imagination, but the hum changed in frequency until it was more…ominous. Rather than a background composition, it felt more like a slow build-up of pressure and dread that was eventually announcing the arrival of some unfathomable creature.

  Quickening his pace, he got back to where they’d built a fire, before the darkness became more solid. As Jason chose a log to sit on, he was relieved when no one asked what his shouting had been about.

  “Here,” Devon said, handing Jason a bottle of water to go with his protein bar. When Jason jumped, Devon snickered at him. “What, the jungle got ya feeling a little sketchy?”

  Jason grabbed the bottle and scowled at the other man while biting back a smart retort. He wasn’t in the mood for joking around, and he certainly didn’t find anything about their current situation humorous.

  After eight hours of what felt like an endless trek through a wall of foliage, they finally stopped to make the temporary camp. They would eat and get an hour of rest before pushing on through the night, in case Davies was behind them.

  They avoided the Lokono village in Bottopassi for obvious reasons, and then drove several miles past the town before hiding the truck and entering the jungle from a completely different direction. Since then, other than some specific landmarks pulled from the map, they were relying on a compass and Slaider’s memory to take them in the right direction.

  “Everything’s sketchy,” Jason said to Devon’s back as the other man went to sit with Akuba and Slaider by their small fire. They were making some coffee for the needed jolt of caffeine, as well as the limited sense of security the flames gave them. As inadequate as it was, Jason knew the psychology behind the notion was sound. They’d need every form of help they could get to fortify them against the night that they still had to get through. And if it kept any other rodents from dropping on his back, he’d volunteer to get more firewood.

  The various venomous snakes, spiders, and other forms of normal dangers the jungle presented would have been enough to make the journey a challenge. With the added uncertainty of the animal’s aggressive behavior, the amount of knowledge between Akuba, Slaider, and Jess only went so far. They were also having to rely on Jason’s military tactics and strategies, in addition to Slaider’s local hunting experience to try and keep them safe.

  Jason looked away from the fire and allowed his eyes to adjust to the gathering night, before shifting to study the trees at his back. He could feel the predators. Ones much larger than what they’d encountered so far. They were there, of that he had no doubt.

  With a hand on the AR at his feet, Jason cocked his head to listen, and when he didn’t pick up on a change in the night sounds, he allowed himself to relax slightly. Standing, he staggered back a step to steady himself. Jason would be the last to admit to being tired, but he knew he was bordering on exhaustion. Forcing himself to take another bite of the energy bar he’d been working on, he looked around for Marty. The dog was normally glued to his side, and he’d hardly seen him all day. Spotting his furry friend lying alone at the edge of the clearing, he went over and sat down next to him.

  “Here,” Jason said when Marty looked up expectantly at him. Breaking off a piece of food, he held it out, and frowned when Marty turned his nose away from it. Concerned, he pulled the German Shepherd up so that the front half of his body was in Jason’s lap, the way they’d often sit in front of the TV, before their civilization had ended.

  Marty whined and tried to turn away from him. Taking his muzzle in both of his hands, Jason forced the dog to look at him. “What’s up, bud?” he whispered, worried that he wasn’t drinking enough. It was easier for a dog to get dehydrated in the severe heat than it was for people.

  Marty’s eyes finally met his and they shared one of those rare moments between species where there was an undeniable connection and understanding. His eyebrows raised and fell before he leaned forward to sniff at Jason’s face, followed by a slow whimper that was so emotional it made Jason’s breath catch. Slowly, hesitantly, Marty licked his nose, but it wasn’t in the form of a cheerful greeting or loving gesture.

  If Jason didn’t know any better, he’d swear the dog was worried. “Just a little more, bud,” he whispered, moving his hands to rub Marty’s head and ears. “We have to go just a little further and then this will all be over.”

  Apparently not buying it, Marty pulled his head away and then jumped up so that he was standing over Jason. Once again, he carefully and deliberately leaned forward so that he could sniff at Jason’s nose, and then his mouth, like he was smelling his breath. Chuffing once, Marty shook his head and took a step back before barking at him.

  “Great,” Jason muttered, as he labored to his feet. “Everyone’s got an attitude.”

  The walk back to the fire felt twice as far. As Jason sat down and grabbed his pack, the pressure behind his eyebrow that had been toying with him all day blossomed again. Rubbing at it absently, he noticed Peta watching him.

  Tyler and Jess had volunteered to be the first to retrace the way they’d traveled, and stake out the area to watch their backs while they ate. He was due to relieve them in another ten minutes. He wanted to speak with Peta before then, so he waved her over.

  “Akuba is doing better than I thought she would,” Peta said as she sat down beside him on the fallen log. “Of course, she’s used to this unearthly humidity, so that has to help. No matter how many tropical settings I live in, I don’t think I’ll ever fully acclimate.”

  “I’m not totally convinced that we’ve lost Eddy,” Jason said, jumping right to the point. Unzipping his backpack, he started digging around for the bottle of Advil he knew was in it somewhere.

  “I’d like to believe that, too,” Peta said cautiously, and Jason could feel the intensity of her gaze as she continued to watch him closely. “But I don’t think we’ve got enough information to determine what’s going on. For all we know, that new blast from the hot spring could have worsened his condition so that—”

  “I know that!” Jason snapped, and then immediately regretted it. Grimacing, he pulled the medicine out of the bag and shook a couple of pills out into his hand. “I’ve been thinking about what Slaider said.”

  Peta angled her head at him. “I’m not following.”

  He chased the pills with a swig of water and then pointed at the man in question on the other side of the fire. “He said that Eddy did that to his face right before he got away from him. I don’t buy it.”

  Peta’s brows drew together and Jason realized he was doing a poor job of making his point. “One of the after-hours activities Eddy and I shared was martial arts,” he said, struggling to keep his explanation linear. “He was actually really good. Better than myself at some things. And Slaider is a small guy. If Eddy had him in his grasp well-enough to deliver some blows, Slaider would have never walked away. He sure as hell wouldn’t have made it to the trees to hide and watch.”

  Peta considered his words while staring over at Slaider, where the man was smiling at something Devon had said while pouring Akuba’s coffee. “So, you think Eddy went along with it to a point, only to solidify his position, while taking an opportunity to let Slaider go.”

  “Exactly!” Jason said, leaning closer. “Even if it’s affecting him, I believe he’s still on our side. Otherwise, Davies would’ve known enough about our plans to warrant coming straight to the preserve and shutting us down. He would have never given us the opportunity to get this far.”

  “Makes sense,” Peta agreed, nodding. A loud shriek from nearby made her pause and look around. When it faded and Akuba made a gesture that it was okay, she focused again on Jason. “At least we know Paul and Maya are on their way, and Garrett has those coordinates.”

  Jason wasn’t as reassured by the contact they’d had with the scientist from the CDC lab before they left. It was made pretty clear, th
at unless they came up with something more at the Lokono site, it wouldn’t be enough to make a difference. There wouldn’t be anyone left to go to the coordinates, let alone the needed infrastructure to carry out some sort of mission into the Amazon, or production of medication.

  Jason rubbed at his head again. Failure wasn’t an option.

  Peta continued to stare at him, and it reminded him of Marty’s weird behavior. “What?” Jason asked, his confusion growing when she raised a hand toward him.

  Touching his face, Peta’s expression went from curious to alarmed. “Jason, you’re burning up!”

  “You just got done saying how hot it is out here,” he countered as he attempted to pull his cheek away from her.

  Undeterred, Peta reached up with her other hand and took hold of his face, forcing him to look at her. “If you don’t think you have a fever, then why did you take the Advil?”

  “It’s nothing,” he insisted, but Jason’s mind was already reeling. The burns on his arm. It had been a little over twenty-four hours since the Libi Nati erupted, and he’d been fighting a headache for hours.

  Headache. Fever. Next would be the beginning of weakness and paralysis.

  Jason swallowed, and gave Peta a slight nod while still firmly gripped in her hands. “I have a headache.”

  She closed her eyes, released his face, and then abruptly stood. “Akuba!”

  “No,” Jason said, also standing. “We’ve only got the one dose with us, and we don’t know if we’ll find any more of that plant.”

  “Oh, man!” Devon moaned, taking in the conversation and its meaning. Peta had shared her concerns with all of them earlier about the mutating vectors, so he knew the potential was there for new infections.

  “I’ve already got water boiling,” Akuba said, immediately going to her bag without any further discussion.

  Jason sat back down and watched the rest of his group move about with purpose. They couldn’t afford to have one of them get sick, and he was already thinking of the potential outcomes. If the tea didn’t work, he’d probably be unable to continue in another twelve hours, if it was the Kra Puru.