“Their guards got into it with some boys who were begging and it started some kind of riot. People are trying to get into that compound because they think the Krylovs are rich,” I said hurriedly.
“Well they’re not wrong,” said Cole.
“There’s no getting in there for Ilya now,” said Josh.
“Also, Tatiana’s been hurt and she wants her thugs to come get Gemma,” I said.
“We can’t stay here anyway,” said Jonah.
“Pack only what you need. We’ll have to try again for Ilya later,” said Josh.
“We’ll go Ngong Hills. My friend there will take us,” said Mr. Mbele.
“Wait. Let me tell him we’re not coming. Maybe he can get out on his own, if he actually tries,” I said.
“Do it! Tell him to fight those fuckers and run for his life!” said Faith.
I ran deeper into the trash forest until the noise faded enough that I could concentrate.
I pressed Ilya’s medallion between my thumb and forefinger. Ilya, you have to try to get out on your own. Josh and Melissa couldn’t get to you. An ‘effing riot is going on, but I’m sure you know that. I know you’re tied up, but you need to find a way out. Use an illusion. Do something! We know they’re after Gemma now. We’re going to run and come back for you later.
There’s a new guy here. He’s a variant, but I’m not sure what he does. He’s Ivan’s friend. I can’t hear him. And he’s watching me like a hawk.
You can think of something to distract them. Give them an illusion. And do it fast. If you can make it out the front door, you’re home free. Don’t come back to the forest. Mr. Mbele is taking us somewhere called the Ngong Hills. I think it’s nearby. Get out of Kibera and ask someone how to get to the Ngong Hills. We’ll reconnect in person. I know you wanted to save Ivan, but you have to run. Please!
I heard heavy feet pounding toward me. I opened my eyes to see Cole running for me.
Okay, okay, I’ll try. But Tatiana’s not in any shape to do her part for the hedge. Both her and Ivan are too weak. This riot bought us some time. Don’t worry about me.
I let go of the medallion and ran to meet Cole.
“You won’t believe this, but Josh found the van. It was right where we left it. Come on, we’re going now,” said Cole.
We got to the campsite just as Josh pulled up in our Karibu Kab van.
“I guess the Nairobi police are going to be occupied with this incident here rather than hunting for stolen vehicles.” I climbed in next to Gemma and Jonah.
We crept along the uneven ground, moving even more slowly because of the throngs of people. It was an alarming blend of human emotion. Outraged young men hollered Swahili curses at the air. Young mothers guarded their children, holding them close to their bodies. Elderly people simply kept as far out of the way as they could, standing against buildings or sitting on trash mounds.
We broke free of the crowd and turned back onto a main road. Josh picked up speed and we wove through traffic.
Emergency vehicles and confused Nairobians caused congestion around Kibera, but we finally emerged onto a free flowing highway. Mr. Mbele directed Josh southwards and we were soon coasting along the pavement with dry grass plains stretching out around us.
“This road, here,” said Mr. Mbele when a turn off with a sign for the NGONG HILLS COUNTRY CLUB came into view.
“What’s a country club doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” said Jonah.
“Family picnics come here,” said Mr. Mbele.
“Should we be here if there are a bunch of families around?” said Josh.
“Is slow on weeknights. Only many families on weekends,” said Mr. Mbele.
Our van groaned and creaked as Josh pushed it farther and farther up the winding road to the hilltop establishment.
“This is actually a great idea. I’m starving. I could use some barbecue,” said Cole.
“Are we going to get fed?” said Faith.
“We don’t have any money,” I added.
“Yes we do. Sort of,” said Melissa as she lifted her clinking duffle bag. I hadn’t looked inside, but I assumed she had items of value.
“Good enough. You give to my friend and he will help us,” said Mr. Mbele.
The most amazing smell I had ever encountered blew down the hill on a gentle breeze and in through our open van windows.
“Oh my god, what is that smell?” said Gemma. She grinned from ear to ear.
“Who cares if we’re safe here, as long as we get to eat whatever that smell is! I’ve been so freaked out I don’t think I’ve eaten in two days.” Faith leaned forward trying to see ahead.
“Is Nyama Choma. We’ll have with Ugali and Sukuma Wiki.” Mr. Mbele smiled, making it all the more surreal that we escaped a riot to find some kind of traditional East African feast.
“What is Nyama Choma?” said Jonah.
“Roasted goat.” Mr. Mbele smiled again.
“I don’t care, I’m starving,” said Cole.
“I’ve never had goat.” I would have tried anything that smelled that good, but like Cole and Faith, I was also ravenous.
Josh parked in the lot we found at the top of the hill. I could see from the manicured green lawn, rock garden, and freshly stained wood cabanas that we were at a tourist destination. A large single-story cabin stood at the center of the property. On the far side of the land, the terrain dropped into a ravine.
Mercifully, Mr. Mbele had been right about the lack of weeknight visitors. We appeared to have the place to ourselves.
“So this is what a Kenyan country club looks like,” I said.
“Is a place for weddings, birthdays, parties, that sort of thing,” said Mr. Mbele.
“No wonder it smells so wonderful,” said Jonah, fascination spreading across his face.
“You wait here. I go find my friend,” said Mr. Mbele.
We got out of the van and stretched our legs. All signs of Nairobi were gone. All around us hazy sage hills and patches of green trees rested comfortably under the bright blue African sky. I took in as much beauty as I could, to soothe myself and to share with Ilya when I reached out to him later. For now, I knew I had to leave him alone and let him concentrate on whatever he managed to contrive to distract the Krylovs.
Jonah took my hand and led me down a dirt path toward a giant cliff-side dining deck. The sheer drop down made it a perfect viewpoint for the valley around us. We leaned our elbows onto the thick wood patio railing and breathed in the warm clean air. I glanced back to see my friends wandering the property aimlessly, all decompressing in their own way.
“Every time we have a moment like this, I feel surges of bitterness and guilt,” I said.
“Because we’re getting a nice hot meal?” said Jonah.
“That, and because this place is amazing,” I swept my arm out gesturing at the landscape. “We’re surrounded by beautiful countryside. We’re relaxing and eating. But Ilya’s still tied up for all we know. And Kibera is still a mess. We haven’t fixed anything.”
“I know I promised it was almost finished. I’m sorry. We can’t walk away, but we can only do our best,” said Jonah.
“True. But then there’s the other side of it. Why did this become our problem to solve? Why aren’t we backpacking around the world like other kids our age? I’ve seen six countries in the last month and I got to enjoy practically zero of it! I should be getting ready for university, but no, I’m trying to save the fucking world!” I said.
Jonah put his arm around me and hugged my shoulder. He rested his head on mine and let the anger flow out of me.
“We have beers now, my friends!” Mr. Mbele came toward us, his hands filled with clinking dark brown glass bottles.
Another two men in white collared
shirts followed, each with a tray of beer. Melissa trailed behind carrying her black duffle bag which no longer made any noise at all.
I helped myself to a cold bottle of Kenyan beer. The earthy taste of hops was not as off-putting as it normally was. I let the alcohol numb me gently with every sip.
Our two servers quickly returned with food on great huge planks of wood. A messy pile of barbequed meat preceded a platter with flat white balls of paste surrounded by a generous garnish of cooked greens.
I watched Mr. Mbele. He picked up a small steel plate and added a heap of meat, picking it up with his fingers. I noticed there were no utensils of any sort. He took a pinch of salt from the corner of the board and added it to the meat. He picked up a handful of the white paste and then another serving of greens. Mr. Mbele thoughtfully took a wad of paste, added greens, added meat, and took a bite. He smiled and beckoned me to eat.
More plates with more meat and paste and greens came out and soon we were all digging in with greasy fingers. I finished two silver plates and got up to search for another bottle of beer when I felt my legs turn to gelatin under me. I grabbed the edge of the table and eyed my friends.
The shaking came in another violent wave and I heard a shout from the main building.
“Earthquake! Take shelter! Earthquake!”
Chapter 29
“What the hell?” Faith gripped the table. She released the wood tabletop and left charred black handprints.
“That can’t be a coincidence,” I said.
“Probably not. But I thought you said Ivan and Tatiana were weak,” said Jonah.
“They are. Or they were. Maybe it was Rose and Sage,” I said.
“Those two couldn’t send an email without help. You think they calibrated and engaged a fracking drill?” said Cole.
“Well, somebody did!” I glared at him. “Or did Kenya just happen to experience an earthquake the day after we tried to break Ilya away from Ivan?”
The cliff-side patio creaked under its own weight. I felt a rumble in the floor beneath my feet.
“This thing could go over any minute,” said Josh.
We stood up carefully. A loud creak groaned. Popping snaps crackled up from the wood. My friends bolted. I stopped to grab my backpack and Faith’s.
Jonah yanked hard on my arm. “Now!” he yelled.
I ran as hard and fast as my legs would carry me following my friends off the deck and up the path to the main building. I turned back to see the floor of the deck drop out of sight as our dinner table slid off the cliff.
“Oh my God!” I blurted.
Several club staff ran past us out of the main building in a hurry to assess the damage to their central outdoor dining patio. I heard shouts of alarm at finding it had gone down into the ravine. The remaining few staff on site were crowded around the bar, craning necks up to the television.
“This is the largest earthquake ever recorded in East Africa,” said a woman in a purple pantsuit standing near the edge of the Rift Valley. A roadside stand much like the Samburu Curio Shop lay collapsed beside her. Plumes of smoke rose from inside the heart of the valley.
“But the damage at the epicenter here in the Rift Valley is not comparable to the damage back in Nairobi. George, can you update us on what’s happening in the city?” said the reporter.
A young man in a white collared shirt stood next to an unrecognizable collapsed structure.
“I’m standing next to the Kenya National Theatre where some five hundred people are missing and presumed dead in the building’s collapse. Authorities are still assessing damage across the city, all while Kenyans are reeling from the news of the disastrous tanker crash in Mombasa. Locals are asking how an earthquake of this magnitude could have happened in East Africa. Meanwhile, two other large earthquakes in Peru and Indonesia are diverting some of the world’s most preeminent seismic experts. In fact, disasters have been on the rise around the world in the last twenty-four hours leaving first responders frightened and bewildered as they attempt to cope with the tasks at hand in their own communities.”
“What happened in Mombasa?” I asked one of the waiters at the bar.
“The crash? You did not hear?” said the man.
“An oil tanker tried to dock at a passenger terminal. There is now crude oil in the ocean from Mombasa to Malindi. They say it will take years to clean. Coastline may never recover,” said a young waitress behind the bar.
“Three major earthquakes in one day. Disasters on the rise everywhere. This smells like The Compendium,” I said.
“They’re really ready to release Terra Nova if they’ve escalated the rest of their plans,” said Cole.
“How are they pulling this off?” said Faith.
“We still don’t know what other Compendium factions are working out there,” said Melissa.
“If we can stop Terra Nova, it’s not too late,” said Gemma.
“I’ll try to reconnect to Ilya. Maybe if they’ve got so much happening all at once, that creature will be too preoccupied to keep me out.” I didn’t wait for permission. I walked outside and found a covered loveseat, situated for a view of the valley and hills. I sat down and tried to picture my brother’s face. My whole body shook.
Irina? Can you hear me? Ilya’s voice came through suddenly loud and clear.
I jumped in my seat. Yes! I tried to find you. Are you okay? Are you still in Kibera? I thought the whole thing might have caved in after the earthquake.
I’m okay. This place fared surprisingly well, at least Ivan’s compound did. I tried an illusion—won’t bore you with the details. You’re not going to believe this. They have an invisible man here. None other than that Evonatura CEO, Claude Mueller. I guess my illusions don’t work on him when he’s invisible.
Sonofabitch! Claude Mueller is there? The new variant! I guess that answers who’s been coordinating everything with Ivan and Tatiana out of commission. Are they still both too weak to be dangerous?
As far as I can tell Ivan is pretty sick, but Aunt Tat is recovering quickly, even without a healer. I can hear her thoughts. She’s getting ready to transfer that creature from Ivan to me.
No! We still don’t know how to kill it! I think that’s why the thing kicked us out of Ivan’s mind. He knows a way to kill the parasite itself and end the creature forever. We have to get back in!
Where’s your other psychic?
He’s still here with me. Hang on, I’m going to get him. I hopped off the outdoor sofa and ran back into the club.
Mr. Mbele had a concerned frown on his face. “I need you to come with me. We have to connect to my brother. He’s going to try to get us back into my father’s mind. That demon camped out in my father can be killed. We have to find out how.”
Mr. Mbele nodded and came with me. Useless as I knew my location was, I went back to the sofa and reclaimed my seat. I grabbed Ilya’s medallion and took a deep breath. Mr. Mbele sat next to me and I grabbed his hand with my free one. Ilya, I have Mr. Mbele here. We’re coming to you. Try to get back into Ivan’s head.
“Focus on Ilya’s cell in Kibera,” I said to Mr. Mbele. I closed my eyes and tried to picture my brother sitting on his cot. The blackness behind my eyes fell away and Mr. Mbele and I were in Ilya’s cell. I could hear the faint wail of distant sirens.
Ilya, we’re in, can you get to Ivan without standing next to his body?
“Let’s find out. Grab onto me if you can see me, because I can’t see you,” Ilya said out loud.
Ilya closed his eyes to concentrate while Mr. Mbele and I reached out each touching one of Ilya’s shoulders.
We snapped into Ivan’s cabin, but the room was full of a smoky haze. The once pristine forest outside the cabin’s bay window was in the throes of a major fire. The real Ivan had his back to us, tending something
on the kitchen stove.
“Dad, you need to finish your story, fast! How do we kill it, Ulu?” said Ilya.
Ivan turned around and my heart stopped. His eyes were a cloudy pale blue. He looked at us, but he couldn’t see us. His wiry hair was matted with grease. Ivan opened his mouth, but whatever words he spoke were drowned out by an ear-piercing shriek.
The creature’s giant red eye stared in on us again. Smoke wafted between the eye and the glass window, but masked none of its ferocity. I saw the wildest rage I had ever seen in another animal’s eyes. I froze with fear, but suddenly an idea struck me. I was at a country club far outside the city. This creature was trapped inside Ivan’s body. It couldn’t hurt my physical body.
I stepped forward with my astral body and took a chance. I lifted my arms to focus my attention, but I knew it wasn’t my hands doing the work. I held the creature still. I concentrated on keeping the glass together, glass that had been restored after our last visit, which I knew wasn’t really there at all.
“I can’t hold it for long!” I felt the demon’s resistance, but I held firm. It felt like gripping a giant fish that fought me with every ounce of its life force. The ground rumbled.
“Mbele, you have to get into Ivan’s past. Help him remember,” said Ilya.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Mbele place his palm on Ivan’s forehead. Ivan dropped his wood spoon and red sauce splattered on the floor. Mr. Mbele murmured something in another language. The cabins walls caught fire around us. The rumbling around us evolved to shaking.
Ilya reached out and held Ivan’s hand, comforting him.
“It’s a dagger! It’s buried with Ulu’s body in Chester!” shouted Ilya. Mr. Mbele let go of Ivan and the creature’s rage overcame my power.
Terra Nova (The Variant Conspiracy Book 3) Page 21
