by Leo Romero
“Er... peasants?” Troy asked in a tentative voice. “Bitches? Where are you?”
He was answered by silence. He frowned. Then, without warning, the hood was whipped from his head. Before he had a chance to gather in his surroundings, he was pushed forcefully down the stone steps ahead of him. He tumbled down them, bumping and rolling like a beach ball. He groaned in agony with each thud until he crashed onto the stone floor below in an agonized heap. He managed to roll onto his back to catch a glimpse of the opening he’d just fallen through close shut, dumping him in darkness.
“Hey!” he shouted, but his voice was drowned out by a stony crunch.
He made it to his feet with an agitated growl. “You didn’t have to throw me down those steps!” he shouted out as he dusted himself down. “Is this any way for me to address my future wife?” He huffed. “Assholes.”
A loud hiss then made his back straighten.
His wide eyes scanned the darkness. “Is that you?” he asked. He held his hands out to the sides and grinned. “It’s me. Sanguinario. Your husband. The man you’ll conquer the world with.”
Another hiss rang out, this time closer.
“I know I’m not looking my best for you, sweetie,” he said with a chuckle, “but I promise to take a shower. I think the first thing we should do once we’re, you know, united, is to hire some new help, cause these guys just don’t cut the mustard. They didn’t even have a bottle of antiperspirant for me, for Chrissakes.” He sniffed his underarm and winced. “Man, I really do need a bath,” he whispered to himself.
Something then slithered by his feet, the hissing intensifying. Troy could sense movement all around him. He stared toward the ground even though he could see nothing. The hissing increased in volume and that sense of movement became more and more real.
Troy gulped. “Hey, go easy on me, baby. It’s my first time.”
Something clamped around his ankle and he screamed. He tried to kick it off, but it was too thick, too heavy. He gasped in horror. He tried to put more effort into it, but it had him gripped good.
Then it began coiling up his thigh.
It was a horribly tickly sensation, both pleasant and nauseating at the same time.
He made a mouse-like noise. Then another thing wrapped around his free leg. He shrieked. He tried to back away, but he was now rooted, held to the spot by the two things crawling up his legs.
“Darling, you’re moving too fast,” he said to the darkness. Loud hissing answered him alongside more intense slithering.
One of the things coiled around his upper thigh and squeezed.
Troy’s chest tightened. It was actually quite enjoyable.
Then more things began coiling around the original things and worked their way up his body. They crawled across his chest; thick, cold. He craned his head back, trying to get away from them, even though they had hold of his limbs and were squeezing. The hissing grew louder in his ears, until it buzzed against his eardrums.
“Baby,” he said in an unsure voice. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret later!”
A cold, forked tongue then scraped across his cheek. He yelped in horror.
Then everything went silent. The tongue licked him once more. Then, a couple more; one on his other cheek, another slapped against his forehead. Silence. Then, another round of licks.
Troy waited for something to happen. And then it did. To his surprise, the things began uncoiling from his limbs, releasing him from their grip.
Huh?
He stood there in stunned silence as they unwrapped themselves from him, first releasing his arms, then his torso, and finally his legs as if the last minute had been put into reverse. Finally free of their burden, he hopped from one leg to the other to get the blood flowing back to them. As he did, that slithering sound receded back into the darkness from where it came, and then silence. He was alone, in the gloom.
He turned on the spot, wondering what just happened. “Hey!” he shouted. “What’s going on? Where’s my future bride?”
He was answered by silence, only the dank atmosphere around him for company.
“What have I come all the way down here from Chicago for?” he asked out loud. He groaned and dusted down his Hawaiian shirt and white chinos. “Assholes,” he grumbled to himself.
He then realized what happened; he slapped his hands on his thighs in frustration. “She stood me up,” he said to himself. “I don’t believe it! She stood me up at the altar. How embarrassing. Hey, ain’t no one gonna hear about this, that’s for sure.” He straightened his back. “Just to let you know,” he said to the dark in a firm voice, “no one’s ever stood me up before. It’s your loss.” His words bounced back at him. Then, silence took over.
After a second, alarm bells began ringing in his mind. “How the hell am I gonna get out of here?” he asked himself. “I’m locked inside this dark chamber. Alone.” He gulped. He spun and felt his way toward the steps he was thrown down. On finding them, he scrambled up to the summit where he began pounding on the stone door covering the opening. “Hey! Let me out of here! Hey, bitches! I command you to let me out of here! I’m el Sanguinario! Remember? You have to do what I say!”
Inevitable silence greeted him.
He whirled around, panic taking control. “What am I gonna do?” he asked himself. He was trapped.
Then he realized something. Whatever that was in there with him had to get in and out somehow. Yeah, there had to be an entrance for them to get in here.
He scampered back down the steps.
He walked along in the pitch-black, arms outstretched like the Mummy, feeling his way through the darkness, seeking out a wall, or an opening, or something. Anything. He fell to his knees and began running his hands along the cold, stone floor. He continued crawling along on his hands and knees like a dog. Come on, come on, there must be something!
On and on he crawled, seeking that elusive opening, that escape route, alone in the darkness, his heart hammering. In all his years, he’d never been so scared. Or so lost.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Trixie checked her smartphone. They’d been waiting at Hermosillo airport for hours. Dad said their ride should be there soon. Trixie sighed. The others were sitting around looking just as bored as her, watching people arriving and leaving the airport lounge.
Come on, Dad and Miranda, Trixie thought to herself. Pull through for us.
She checked on Troy. By then, he’d flown all the way down to Brazil. And that was where they’d be heading.
“Any news?” Dom asked. He was lying across some seats, staring at the ceiling.
Trixie was about to give him a smartass answer when a familiar face came sauntering into the lounge.
Trixie’s eyes lit up. “Mack!” she said, waving at him.
Mack noticed them sitting around waiting and raised his hand in a wave.
Dom sat up in his seat. “Mack?” he said, looking around him in confusion.
Mack came over to where they were sitting. “Expecting someone else?”
“No, I should’ve guessed,” Dom said with a half-smile on his face.
“Sorry I’m late,” Mack said to Trixie, “had to make a pit stop for refueling.”
Trixie gave him a grin. “It’s all right. Better late than never.”
Mack laid eyes on Alicia and Rafa. “You met some friends?”
Trixie nodded. “Yes. They’re helping us. Alicia, Rafa, this is Mack. He’s our...”
“Driver,” Dom finished.
“Pilot,” Mack corrected him.
“Our pilot,” Dom echoed. “He’s got us out of a tight spot or two in the past.”
Rafa got up from his seat and offered his hand. Mack took it and shook it firmly. “Nice to meet you.”
Alicia then stood and offered her hand.
“Hola, señorita. Encantado de conocerte,” Mack said to her as he took her hand.
Alicia’s eyes lit up. “You speak Spanish?”
Mack nodded. “As
well as French, a touch of Vietnamese and a few Latin phrases.” He kissed Alicia’s hand. “It’s a byproduct of having been around the world a few too many times.”
“Most non-natives only learn the swear words,” Alicia stated.
“I’m old fashioned in that regard.”
“How so?”
“I learn the swear words last.”
Alicia giggled. Mack gave her a wink and a grin.
“All right, you two,” Dom said. “Can we get down to business?”
“Aye aye, captain,” said Mack. “So, where we headed?”
“Brazil,” Trixie told him. “The Amazon to be precise.”
“Whereabouts? The Amazon’s a big old stream.”
Trixie showed him her smartphone. Troy was some way down the Amazon, where exactly he was heading to was anyone’s guess.
“Can you land us there?” Trixie asked.
“No can do, little lady. There isn’t space to land in amongst all that Amazonian forest. I can get you down to Manaus, and from there you’ll have to get a boat.”
“A boat?” Dom echoed.
“’Fraid so,” Mack said with a shrug.
Trixie nodded. “All right. A boat it’ll have to be.”
“So, what’s happening on the Amazon?” Mack asked.
“We’re going on a pilgrimage,” Dom answered.
“A pilgrimage, huh? Well, we’ll need to stop for a refuel, so the sooner we leave...”
Trixie faced Alicia and Rafa. “You two can go home now if you like. You’ve been more than enough help.”
“No, we want to come too,” Alicia said.
“Yes, we want to help,” Rafa added. “We’re friends now.”
Warmth bloomed in Trixie’s chest. A smile broke out on her face, which she couldn’t hold back even if she tried. She grabbed her chest. “Thanks, guys!” she said in a half-gasp, totally overwhelmed by the gesture. She’d become unaccustomed to people calling her a friend over recent years and it had left her overawed.
She took a controlling breath, placing her hands on her hips. She nodded. “Yeah, friends.”
Both Rafa and Alicia gave her warm smiles.
“Friends,” Rafa echoed.
Trixie glanced at Dom, then straightened her back. “Okay, let’s go,” she said, getting back into character. “Lead the way, Mack.”
“Your carriage awaits,” Mack said before he turned and headed for departures.
On the way, Dom got in Trixie’s face. “Hey, what about our weapons?” he asked in a hot whisper. “They’re in Rafa’s truck in the parking lot.”
“And that’s where they’ll have to stay.”
Dom’s face pinched. “What? How are we gonna stay alive without the dart guns?”
“You wanna risk getting thrown in a Brazilian jail? No, neither do I, so the dart guns have to stay here.”
“So, what are we gonna do? How are we gonna kill Magdalena without holy water?”
“We’ll have to improvise.”
“Improvise. Great. Just what I wanted to hear.”
They made it through security and out to the runway where a familiar sight was waiting for them.
Dom facepalmed. “Oh man,” he groaned. “He’s brought the goddamn chopper!”
Trixie grinned. “Well, it’ll get us there.”
Dom slapped his thigh. “But, the chopper. We almost died in that thing.”
“Well, I slept through that.”
“Yeah, lucky you.”
Mack threw the door open. “Ladies first,” he said to Alicia.
“Thank you,” Alicia said before getting up into the chopper.
“Was this the only thing you could bring?” Dom asked Mack as he threw his bag into the back.
“At short notice, yes,” Mack answered.
Dom groaned as he got up into the back and took his seat, where he began fidgeting.
“What’s up with you, hombre?” Rafa asked him from the opposite seat.
“He gets air sick,” Trixie informed him.
“Ha ha, Trixie,” Dom retorted in an ironic tone. “This thing feels like a paper airplane.”
“Okay, everyone set?” Mack asked from the front.
“No,” answered Dom.
Mack chuckled. He got the rotors started up and they were airborne in seconds. Dom’s stomach began twisting and turning. “Great,” he said to himself. “Wake me when we’re in Brazil.”
After stopping off for a refuel in Panama, they eventually made it down to Manaus Airport, which was the nearest port to the Amazon River.
Mack made a safe landing. “Manaus Airport,” he declared, switching off the rotors. “Enjoy your stay.”
Trixie turned back to face him. “Thanks, Mack.”
“No problemo, little lady.”
“You’re gonna wait here for us, right?”
“As long as you need. I’m gonna grab a refuel and forty winks. Y’all take your time.”
“You still got that smartphone Dad gave you, right?”
“Yeah, still got it. He was adamant before I left that I keep hold of it.”
“Good. You know how to track mine and Dom’s, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I got it. I may be old, but I’m not a technophobe.”
“Good. If we get in trouble, we’ll call for backup, and you come find us.”
“I gotcha back, Trixie. You take care now.”
Trixie turned to the others. “Let’s go.”
They got out of the chopper and made their way through airport security. Even though it was the early hours of the morning, the airport itself was a bustling hub of backpackers wanting to get their kicks down the Amazon, and uptight suits catching a connecting flight. They made their way past it all and out to Manaus harbor; a frenzy of fruit sellers and excited tourists.
“Now what?” Dom asked Trixie.
“Now we get a boat,” she answered. She scanned the harbor ahead of them. Boats were lined up ready and waiting; some big with queues of tourists waiting outside them, others small fishing trawlers. Neither of those were good to them; they needed something fast and private. Trixie had enough cash on her to get them what they wanted, it was just a case of lucking out and finding it.
Dom crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, we get a boat, but we’re still left with our other little problem.”
“What’s that?” asked Trixie.
“Weapons. We’re defenseless. What are we gonna use to kill Magdalena? Our bare hands?”
Trixie sighed. She looked around. Behind them was a street full of stores and stalls selling food and trinkets to tourists.
“Hey, what about there?” Dom then said, pointing at a storefront over to the right. It looked like some kind of workshop. Wooden chairs and small tables lined the doorway. From inside came the sound of metal on wood.
Trixie shrugged. “You’re thinking of smashing her over the head with a chair?”
Dom gave her a sideways look. “No. I got an idea.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a bunch of Lionel’s notes. He began sifting through them.
Trixie watched him in bemusement.
Dom found a specific sheet of paper and grinned. “A-ha!” He then went over to Rafa. “Hey, Rafa buddy, you’re a carpenter. Think you can whip up a couple of these in there?”
Rafa took the paper, glanced at it, then focused in on the workshop. “Why not?” he said with a small shrug.
Dom grinned.
Trixie went over to Rafa and glanced down at the paper in his hand. It was a blueprint for a weapon. A wooden crossbow. She looked up at Rafa. “Really? You can do that?”
“If they have some rope, why not? But, we’ll need bolts to fire.”
Trixie turned in a small circle. Her eyes fell on a stall behind her. The guy was barbequing meat on long, thick skewers. He was shrouded in white smoke.
Trixie grinned. “Okay, you guys get to work on the crossbows, and I’ll go get whatever else we need.”
The guy at the workshop w
as sympathetic to their needs once they lubricated his palm with enough cash. He even fetched them some rope, which Rafa needed for the bow.
Rafa got to work, while Dom watched on. Rafa knew what he was doing; he’d made these things before, but the blueprints were for a more powerful version. The guy who owned the workshop watched them with suspicious eyes. Dom just flashed him a grin every now and then, just to keep him cool.
After a lot of sawing and hammering, eventually, Rafa had a fully operational crossbow in his hands. He brought it up to his eyeline, aimed and pulled the wooden trigger. The bow pulled forward.
Rafa nodded in appreciation. “Good.”
“You the man, Rafa,” Dom said, giving him a high-five.
The workshop guy just stared at them like they were crazy. No doubt, he was wondering why these two foreigners were making crossbows.
“We’re hunting snakes,” Dom said to him. The guy just grinned and nodded in response. Dom had no clue if he understood or not.
Rafa grabbed one of the skewers Trixie bought from the barbequed meat guy outside. The workshop guy had already sawed off the handles for them. Rafa slotted the skewer into the crossbow; it fit perfectly. He brought the string back and aimed. He nodded. “Good.”
He then pointed at a beat up chunk of wood over in the corner. The workshop guy went and grabbed it and set it up on a nearby counter. Rafa stood back and aimed.
Dom watched on in anticipation. Rafa squeezed the trigger. The skewer cut through the air like a bullet. It slammed into the piece of wood with a dull thud.
Dom flinched, then began clapping. “Woohoo!”
Rafa nodded his head slow and deliberate as he stepped up to the chunk of wood. The skewer had dug right into it as straight as an arrow. He grabbed it and pulled, having to yank it out with a lot of force it was so embedded.
“Man, that thing’s powerful,” Dom stated, staring at the deep hole in the piece of wood.
Rafa nodded. “Better than an AK-47 for killing vampires, huh, amigo?”
Dom grinned. “You know it!”
They both began laughing. The workshop guy just carried on staring at them in bewilderment.
