cussler.blueandgold-第25章

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way　and　bent　over　the　still　form　lying　in　a　hammock。　Gamay　reached　up　and　felt　his　face　with　a　light　touch　of　her　fingers。
　
　〃I'm　awake；〃　she　said。　〃Just　thinking。〃
　
　〃About　what？〃
　
　She　sat　up　and　swung　her　feet　onto　the　floor。　〃I　don't　trust　our　friend　the　Flying　Dutchman　any　further　than　I　could　throw　him。　Not　that　I　would　touch　him。　Yech。〃
　
　〃I　agree　with　your　sentiments　exactly。　I　think　someone　is　watching　us。〃　He　glanced　toward　the　doorway。　〃This　hut　re　minds　me　of　a　lobster　trap。　One　way　in；　no　way　out；　except　to　the　cooking　pot。　I　suggest　we　spend　the　night　on　the　boat。〃
　
　〃Much　as　I　hate　to　leave　these　five…star　acmodations；　I'm　ready　when　you　are。　Question。　How　do　we　sneak　off　with　someone　watching？〃
　
　〃Simple；　we　go　out　the　back　door。〃
　
　〃There　wasn't　a　back　door　last　time　I　looked。〃
　
　〃Guess　you've　never　heard　of　Yankee　ingenuity；〃　Trout　said　smugly。　〃If　you　would　stand　watch　I'll　put　my　cleverness　to　work。〃　He　slipped　a　hunting　knife　from　its　belt　sheath　and　went　to　the　back　of　the　hut。　Kneeling；　he　slipped　the　eight…inch　blade　through　the　thatch　and　began　to　saw。　The　rustle　and　snap　were　barely　audible；　but　to　be　on　the　safe　side　he　timed　his　sawing　to
　the　cry　of　an　unknown　forest　creature　that　made　a　noise　like　a　rat…tail　file　on　metal。　Within　minutes　he　had　cut　a　rectangular　opening　about　two　feet　square　in　the　rear　wall。　He　went　to　the　front　of　the　hut　and　guided　Gamay　by　the　arm　to　the　newly　crated　exit。　She　stuck　her　head　through　to　make　sure　it　was　safe；　then　was　out　in　an　instant。　Paul's　basketball　player　body　slithered　out　a　second　later。
　
　They　stood　side…by…side　behind　the　hut　listening　to　the　sym　phony　of　insect　buzzes　and　bird　calls。　Earlier　Gamay　had　noticed　a　path　that　went　from　behind　the　huts　to　the　river。　They　could　see　the　faint　outline　of　hard…packed　earth。　Gamay　led　the　way；　and　before　long　the　huts　were　behind　them　and　their　nostrils　picked　up　the　river　odor　of　damp　rot。　The　path　led　to　the　gardens　they　had　seen　from　the　river　in　daylight。　They　walked　along　the　boggy　edge　of　the　river　and　after　a　few　minutes　saw　the　skeletal　outline　of　the　airboat's　propeller　housing。　They　stopped　in　case　Dieter　had　someone　watching　the　boat。　Paul　threw　a　pebble　into　the　water。　The　plop　failed　to　draw　anyone　out　of　hiding。
　
　They　went　aboard　and　readied　the　boat　to　leave　at　the　first　sign　of　dawn。　Trout　tucked　a　life　preserver　under　his　head　and　stretched　out　on　the　deck。　Gamay　climbed　onto　the　seat　and　took　her　turn　at　the　watch。　Paul　soon　dozed　off。　At　first　he　slept　fitfully　because　of　the　heat　and　insects。　His　exhaustion　caught　up　with　him；　and　eventually　he　slipped　into　a　deep　sleep。　In　his　slumber　he　heard　Gamay　calling　his　name　as　if　from　far　away。　Light　was　ing　through　his　eyelids。　He　blinked　and　saw　Gamay；　still　on　her　perch；　her　face　grotesque　in　a　flickering　yellow　glow。
　
　Three　dugout　canoes　were　pulled　up　alongside　the　airboat。　The　canoes　carried　fierce…looking　Indians　armed　with　razor　sharp　spears　and　machetes。　The　raw　flames　from　the　blazing　torches　they　held　in　their　free　hands　illuminated　the　garish　red　paint　on　their　bronze　bodies　and　faces。　Black　bangs　came　down　to　where　their　eyebrows　would　have　been　if　they　hadn't　been　plucked　clean。　The　Indians　were　clad　in　loincloths　except　for　one　who　wore　a　New　York　Yankees　cap　on　his　head。　Trout　eyed　the　shotgun　the　man　cradled　in　his　arms。　One　more　reason　to　hate　the　Yankees；　he　thought。
　
　Trout　grinned　and　said；　〃Hi。〃　The　granite　expressions　remained　unchanged。　The　man　with　the　shotgun　motioned　for　the　Trouts　to　get　off　the　boat。　They　climbed　onto　the　shore　where　the　Indians　clustered　around　them。　The　Yankees　fan　jerked　the　shotgun　again　in　the　direction　of　the　village。　With　the　Trouts　in　the　middle；　the　torchlight　procession　started　up　the　slope。
　
　〃Sorry；　Paul；〃　Gamay　whispered。　〃They　just　came　out　of　nowhere。〃
　
　〃Not　your　fault。　I　thought　any　threat　would　e　from　land。〃
　
　〃Me；　too。　What　was　the　deal　with　the　smile？〃
　
　〃I　couldn't　think　of　anything　else　to　do。〃
　
　〃I　guess　Dieter　is　smarter　than　we　thought　he　was；〃　Gamay　said　begrudgingly。
　
　〃I　don't　think　so。　Look。〃
　
　As　they　approached　the　clearing　in　front　of　the　huts；　they　saw　Dieter。　He　was　looking　very　pale　and　frightened　in　the　torchlight　and　for　good　reason。　More　Indians　surrounded　him；　their　spear　points　inches　from　his　ample　belly。　Sweat　dripped　off　his　face；　but　he　couldn't　get　to　it　because　his　hands　were　in　the　air。　As　if　he　didn't　have　enough　to　worry　about；　two　white　men　had　their　handguns　leveled　at　his　heart。　They　were　dressed　identically　in　cotton　pants；　long…sleeved　T…shirts；　and　high…topped　leather　boots。　Both　wore　what　looked　like　wide　leather　linesman's　belts　with　metal　clips　attached。　One　was　a　hulking　slovenly　type　who　badly　needed　a　shave。　The　other　was　short　and　slim　and　had　the　dark；　flat　eyes　of　a　cobra。　The　boss　Indian　handed　him　the　Colt。　The　hard　eyes　studied　the　Trouts　for　an　instant；　then　flicked　back　to　the　Dutchman。
　
　〃Here　are　your　couriers；　Dieter；〃　the　man　said　with　a　French　accent。　〃Do　you　still　deny　that　you　tried　to　double…cross　me？〃　
　
　　Dieter　began　to　sweat　even　more　profusely；　the　perspiration　ing　off　his　face　like　a　waterfall。　〃I　swear　to　God　I　never　saw　them　before　this　morning；　Victor。　They　simply　showed　up　here　and　said　Ramirez　sent　them　to　tell　me　about　the　dead　Indian　and　to　warn　trouble　was　brewing。〃　A　sly　look　came　into　his　yellow　eyes。　〃I　didn't　believe　them。　I　put　them　in　the　hut　where　I　could　keep　an　eye　on　them。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　noticed　your　extraordinary　security　measures；〃　Victor　said　with　undisguised　contempt。　He　turned　to　the　Trouts。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　
　〃My　name　is　Paul　Trout。　This　is　my　wife；　Gamay。　We're　re　searchers　working　with　Dr。　Ramirez　on　a　river　dolphin　project。〃
　
　　〃Why　are　you　here？　There　are　no　dolphins　in　this　part　of　the　river。〃
　
　〃That's　true；〃　Paul　said。　〃We　found　the　body　of　an　Indian　in　a　canoe。　Dr。　Ramirez　thought　trouble　might　be　brewing　and　wanted　us　to　warn　this　village。〃
　
　〃Why　didn't　Ramirez　himself　e　with　this　warning？〃
　
　〃He　hurt　his　ankle　and　couldn't　walk。　Besides；　we　wanted　to　see　more　of　the　rain　forest。〃
　
　〃Convenient。〃　The　Frenchman　hefted　the　Colt。　〃Is　this　part　of　your　scientific　equipment？〃
　
　〃No。　It　belongs　to　Dr。　Ramirez。　He　insisted　that　we　take　it　in　case　we　ran　into　trouble。　From　the　looks　of　things；　I'd　say　he　was　right。〃
　
　Victor　laughed。　〃Your　story　sounds　so　stupid　it　might　actually　be　plausible。〃　He　appraised　Gamay　as　only　a　Frenchman　could　look　at　a　woman。　〃Gamay；　an　unusual　name　with　French　roots。
　
　Gamay　recognized　lechery　where　Victor　saw　charm；　but　she　was　not　above　using　her　feminine　attributes　for　leverage。　〃The　Frenchmen　I　have　met　in　the　past　would　have　introduced　them　selves　by　now。〃
　
　〃Ah；　pardon　my　bad　manners。　It　must　be　my　association　with　people　like　this　cochon　here。〃　Dieter　flinched　as　Victor　waved　his　pistol　barrel　under　the　Dutchman's　nose。　〃My　name　is　Victor　Arnaud。　This　is　my　assistant；　Carlo；〃　he　said；　indicating　his　silent　panion。　〃We　are　employed　by　a　European　cartel　that　is　seeking　the　acquisition　of　rare　biological　substances　from　the　rain　forest。〃　〃You're　botanists；　then；　like　Dr。　Ramirez？〃
　
　〃No；〃　he　said　with　a　shake　of　his　head。　〃The　work　is　too　rigorous　at　this　point　for　botanists。　We　have　a　working　knowledge　of　biology；　but　we　are　the　advance　collection　team　who　will　bring　back　interesting　specimens　for　the　scientists　to　analyze。　They　will　e　later　when　we　have　paved　the　way。〃
　
　〃So　you're　looking　for　pharmaceuticals？〃　Paul　ventured。
　
　〃Perhaps；　as　a　by…product；〃　Arnaud　said。　〃It　is　no　secret　the　next　cure　for　cancer　may　be　growing　in　the　wondrous　biological　treasure　house　above　our　heads。〃　He　tapped　his　long　nose；　then　his　lips。　〃We　are　here　primarily　seeking　fragrances　for　perfumes　and　essences；　tastes　for　the　food　industry。　If　we　e　across　medicinal　extracts；　so　much　the　better。　We　have　the　permission　of　the　Venezuelan　government；　and　our　operation　is　entirely　legitimate。〃
　
　Paul　let　his　gaze　drift　over　the　ferocious…looking　painted　savages；　the　leveled　guns；　and　the　patently　terrified　Dieter。　He　did